Preparation of Iron Nanoparticles from Iron Pentacarbonyl Using an Atmospheric Microwave Plasma

A novel method is introduced for preparing iron nanoparticles from iron pentacarbonyl using an atmospheric microwave plasma. The prepared iron nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the size of the particles can be controlled by adjusting the microwave power and the flow rate of the carrier gas. The magnetic properties of the synthesized iron particles were studied and a saturation magnetization of ∼95 emu/g was obtained. The convenient preparation process and considerable production rate were also found to be satisfactory for industrial applications. (paper)