Synthesis and Investigation of Superparamagnetic Nano-structured Fe3O4 (Magnetite) Powder Using Co-Precipitation Method

Abstract

Abstract Superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles have potential biomedical applications, but their synthesis can be challenging and costly. In this study, we present a simple and facile method for synthesizing these nanoparticles via the co-precipitation method. The pH and stabilizer concentration were optimized to obtain Fe3O4 nanoparticles with superparamagnetic characteristics and aggregated morphology in high purity. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the maximum magnetite formation was achieved at a pH of 12.5. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) were used to characterize the morphological and magnetic properties of the synthesized powders, respectively. The results showed that the synthesized particles were micrometer-sized, composed of nanoparticles ranging from 50 to 110 nm in size, and exhibited superparamagnetic behavior with a value of 40 emu/g. The superparamagnetic behavior was attributed to the presence of nanosized crystallites and nanoparticles in the aggregated structure rather than monodisperse particles. Overall, the co-precipitation method presented in this study offers an easy, non-toxic, and fast method for synthesizing Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which may be suitable for industrial-scale production.