METHOD OF SYNTHESIZING MAGNETITE/MAGHEMITE CORE/SHELL NANOPARTICLES

摘要

The method of synthesizing magnetite/maghemite core/shell nanoparticles is a modified co-precipitation method for producing iron oxide (Fe₃O₄/γ-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles that allows for production of the Fe₃O₄/γ-Fe₂O₃ core/shell nanoparticles with a desired shell thickness ranging between about 1 nm to 5 nm for biomedical and data storage applications. Aqueous solutions of ferric and ferrous salts are mixed at room temperature and pH of the mixture is raised to 10. The mixture is then heated at 80° C. for different lengths of time at atmospheric pressure to adjust particle size, and the precipitate is dried at 120° C. in vacuum. Oxidation in an oxygen atmosphere for different lengths of time is used to adjust the thickness of the γ-Fe₂O₃ shell.