Magnetic Assembly and Pyrolysis of Functional Ferromagnetic Colloids into One-Dimensional Carbon Nanostructures

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 129; no. 28; pp. 8694 - 8695
• Main Authors: Bowles, Steven E, Wu, Wei, Kowalewski, Tomasz, Schalnat, Matthew C, Davis, Robert J, Pemberton, Jeanne E, Shim, Inbo, Korth, Bryan D, Pyun, Jeffrey
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 18-07-2007
• Subjects: Carbon - chemistry; Colloids; Ferric Compounds - chemistry; Magnetics; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Nanostructures - chemistry; Tissue Adhesions
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja072757x

A novel synthetic route to functionalize and magnetically assemble ferromagnetic colloids into one-dimensional (1-D) carbon nanostructures is reported. The synthesis of ferromagnetic cobalt nanoparticles with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) shells was achieved by ligand exchange of PAN onto preformed polystyrene-coated ferromagnetic cobalt nanoparticles. PAN-coated ferromagnetic nanoparticles (PAN-CoNPs) were then cast onto supporting surfaces from N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in the presence of an external magnetic field and pyrolyzed to form 1-D carbon nanoparticle chains spanning microns in length. Atomic force microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and X-ray diffraction were used to confirm the preparation of these 1-D hybrid nanostructures. This versatile methodology provides an alternative approach to prepare 1-D carbon materials using soluble precursors that can be magnetically directed and organized.