Influence of synthesis experimental parameters on the formation of nanoparticles of magnetite prepared by thermal decomposition method

In this work, nanoparticles based on magnetite have been synthesized by thermal decomposition via solvent-controlled synthesis in polyols, using triethylene glycol (TREG). The starting precursor were solutions of nitrate and acetylacetonate of Fe. The samples have been characterized by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), adsorption-desorption of N2 (BET equation model), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibration sample magnetometry (VSM) and Moessbauer spectroscopy. XRD diffractogram revealed the majority presence of spinel-like structural phases of magnetite in all samples. SEM micrographs showed morphological differences; the samples prepared from acetylacetonate presented good dispersion of particles whereas the ones prepared from nitrate-small agglomerations. BET isotherms of samples depicted a mesoporous profile which corresponded to IV type. TGA thermogram showed two defined regions which corresponded to vaporization of polyol light fractions and TREG. Zero coercivity on the magnetization curve of acetylacetonate precursor samples have been observed by VSM, which indicates superparamagnetic behavior. Moessbauer spectra of samples detected the presence of 4 doublet-like subspectra due to the presence of 4 sites occupied by Fe in paramagnetic or superparamagnetic state. (author)