The Effect of Temperature on Synthesis and Stability of Superparamagnetic Maghemite Nanoparticles Suspension

Abstract

Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles have been synthesized using chemical co-precipitation at a different temperature. Characterizations of the sample were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), alternating gradient magnetometry (AGM) and thermogravimetryanalysis (TGA). The stability of the maghemite nanoparticles suspension was studied at different pH and time of storage by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements. The XRD patterns confirmed that the particles were maghemite. TEM observation showed that the particles have spherical morphology with narrow particle size distribution. The particles showed superparamagnetic behavior with good thermal stability. The increasing of temperature in the synthesis of maghemite nanoparticles produced smaller size particles, lower magnetization, better thermal stability and more stable maghemite nanoparticle suspension.