MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES, MAGNETIC AND FLUORESCENT NANOCOMPOSITE, AND FORMATION OF MAGHEMITE BY OXIDIZING IRON STEARATE WITH METHYLMORPHOLINE N-OXIDE

摘要

Maghemite (-Fe2O3) is formed by oxidizing iron stearate with methylmorpholine N-oxide (MNO). A mixture comprising iron stearate, MNO, a surfactant, and a solvent may be heated to maintain the mixture at a temperature of about 280 to about 320° C. for a sufficient period to form magnetic nanoparticles comprise maghemite. After heating, the mixture may be cooled to limit growth in size of the nanoparticles. The mixture may be heated for a period of about 15 minutes to about 30 minutes, such as about 15 minutes. The process may be adapted to also form quantum dots, and to form magnetic quantum dot (MQD) nanoparticles in an integrated process.