Facile synthesis of superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles in liquid polyols

Magnetite nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized in liquid polyols at elevated temperature. Polyol solvent plays a crucial role in determining the morphology and colloidal stability of the resulting particles. The structure and morphology of the nanoparticles were studied using XRD, TEM, SAED, TGA and FTIR. The magnetic properties of the samples were measured using physical properties measurement system (PPMS) of Quantum Design. The results show that as-prepared magnetite nanoparticles are monodisperse, highly crystalline and superparamagnetic at room temperature. The nanoparticles can be easily dispersed in aqueous media and other polar solvents due to coated by a layer of hydrophilic polyol ligands in situ. This approach provides a facile route to prepare magnetite nanoparticles.

Graphical abstractMonodisperse water-soluble magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized by the one-pot decomposition of iron(III) acetylacetonate in triethylene glycol. As-prepared nanoparticles have nearly spherical shapes and narrow size distribution and can be well re-dispersed in water due to coated a layer of hydrophilic triethylene glycol on the surface of the particles in situ.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide