Monodisperse superparamagnetic nanoparticles by thermolysis of Fe(III) oleate and mandelate complexes

• Published in: Colloid and polymer science Vol. 292; no. 9; pp. 2097 - 2110
• Main Authors: Patsula, Vitalii, Petrovský, Eduard, Kovářová, Jana, Konefal, Rafal, Horák, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-09-2014; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Composites; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Food Science; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Materials science; Nanopowders; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Original Contribution; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymer Sciences; Soft and Granular Matter; Technology of polymers; Nanoparticles; Ligand exchange; Superparamagnetic; Iron oxide; Thermal decomposition; Ligand substitution; Particle size; End group; Organic ligand; Hydroxamic acids; Magnetic hysteresis; Superparamagnetism; Experimental study; Composite particles; Polyethylene glycols; Fabrication; Structure processing relationship; Magnetic particles; Iron compounds; Organic salt; Monodispersed particle; Phosphonic acid derivatives; Magnetic properties
• ISSN: 0303-402X; 1435-1536
• DOI: 10.1007/s00396-014-3236-6

Monodisperse superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles of controlled size were synthesized by thermal decomposition of organic iron compounds in different high-boiling solvents in the presence of oleic acid and/or oleylamine. The compounds included Fe(III) oleate and mandelate, formed from FeCl
3
and the respective acids. The size of the nanoparticles was easily tuned to 8–27 nm by varying the experimental conditions. The nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and magnetization measurements. The hydrophobic coating of the particles was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). To make the particles biocompatible and water dispersible, nontoxic hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) derivatives were synthesized and used for phase transfer of hydrophobic particles into water using a ligand-exchange procedure.