Sains Malaysiana 43(6)(2014): 941–945

Synthesis of Iron Oxide (Fe₃O₄) Magnetic Nanocrystals by Green Chemistry Approach

(Sintesis Nanohablur Magnetik Ferum Oksida (Fe₃O₄) dengan Pendekatan Kimia Hijau)

W.S. Chiu¹*, S.X. Too¹, S.N.H. Daud¹, N.M.A. Rashid¹, M.Y. Chia¹, S.A. Rahman¹, A. Suhaimi Bakar¹, Z. Aspanut¹, P.S. Khiew², T.K. Tan², S. Radiman³, R. Abd-Shukor³, M.A.A. Hamid³& C.H. Chia³

¹Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

²Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia

³School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 3 May 2013/Accepted: 15 December 2013

ABSTRACT

In the present study, we report the size distribution study on the iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) magnetic nanocrystals (NCs), which have been synthesized by using green chemistry approach with palm-oil based carboxylic compound (oleic acid) as capping ligands. The Fe₃O₄ NCs were prepared by one pot reaction under non-hydrolytic approach. With the assistance of oleic acid that plays the role as effective capping-ligands, we showed that the Fe₃O₄ NCs that are highly monodispersed in size and shape can be synthesized by scrupulously controlling the reaction time. The diameter of Fe₃O₄ NCs can be tuned within the range of 4.0-18.0 nm and exhibit very uniform morphology, which are spherical in shape. Current synthetic approach offers a cheap, environmentally benign and excellent repeatability route in large-scale production of high-quality magnetic Fe₃O₄ NCs if compared to the preceding reports.

Keywords: Fe₃O₄; iron oxide; magnetic; nanocrystals; synthesis

ABSTRAK

Dalam penyelidikan ini, kami mengkaji taburan saiz ferum oksida (Fe₃O₄) nanohablur (NH) magnet yang disintesis dengan pendekatan kimia hijau dengan minyak kelapa sawit daripada kumpulan karboksilik (asid oleik) sebagai ligan. Fe₃O₄ NH disediakan dengan menggunakan tindak balas tunggal dalam keadaan tanpa akueus. Dengan adanya asid oleik yang berperanan sebagai ligan berkesan, kami menunjukkan bahawa Fe₃O₄ NH yang mempunyai saiz dan bentuk sekata dapat disediakan dengan mengawal tempoh masa tindak balas. Diameter Fe₃O₄ dapat dikawal dalam julat 4.0-18.0 nm dan menunjukkan morfologi saiz yang sekata, iaitu berbentuk sfera. Pendekatan sintesis ini telah menyediakan satu cara yang murah, mesra-alam dan kebolehulangan untuk penghasilan Fe₃O₄ NH magnet yang berkualiti tinggi secara besar-besaran berbanding laporan sebelum ini.

Kata kunci: Ferum oksida; Fe₃O₄; magnet; nanohablur;  sintesis

REFERENCES

Chiu, W.S., Khiew, P.S., Cloke, M., Isa, D., Tan, T.K., Radiman, S., Abd-Shukor, R., Hamid, M.A.A., Huang, N.M., Lim, H.N. & Chia, C.H.   2010.   Photocatalytic study of two-dimensional Zno nanopellets in the decomposition of methylene Blue.  Chemical Engineering Journal  158: 345-352.

Chiu, W.S., Khiew, P.S., Isa, D., Cloke, M., Radiman, S., Abd-Shukor, R., Abdullah, M.H. & Huang, N.M.   2008.   Synthesis of two-dimensional Zno nanopellets by pyrolysis of zinc oleate.  Chemical Engineering Journal  142(3): 337-343.

Chiu, W.S., Radiman, S., Abdullah, M.H., Khiew, P.S., Huang, N.M. & Abd-Shukor, R.   2007.   One pot synthesis of monodisperse Fe₃O₄ nanocrystals by pyrolysis reaction of organometallic compound.  Materials Chemistry and Physics 106(2-3): 231-235.

Jana, N.R., Chen, Y.F. & Peng, X.G.   2004.   Size- and shape-controlled magnetic (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) oxide nanocrystals via a simple and general approach.  Chemistry of Materials  16(20): 3931-3935.

Murray, C.B., Kagan, C.R. & Bawendi, M.G.   2000.   Synthesis and characterization of monodisperse nanocrystals and close-packed nanocrystal assemblies.  Annual Review of Materials Science  30: 545-610.

Murray, C.B., Norris, D.J. & Bawendi, M.G.   1993.   Synthesis and characterization of nearly monodisperse Cde (E = Sulfur, Selenium, Tellurium) semiconductor nanocrystallites.  Journal of the American Chemical Society  115(19): 8706-8715.

Peng, X.G., Wickham, J. & Alivisatos, A.P.   1998.   Kinetics of Ii-Vi and Iii-V colloidal semiconductor nanocrystal growth: ‘Focusing’ of size distributions.  Journal of the American Chemical Society 120(21): 5343-5344.

Reiss, H. 1951.   The growth of uniform colloidal dispersions.  Journal of Chemical Physics  19(4): 482-487.

Sugimoto, T. 1987.   Preparation of monodispersed colloidal particles.  Advances in Colloid and Interface Science 28: 65-108.

Yu, W.W. & Peng, X.G.   2002.   Formation of high-quality Cds and other Ii-Vi semiconductor nanocrystals in noncoordinating solvents: Tunable reactivity of monomers.  Angewandte Chemie-International Edition  41(13): 2368-2371.

*Corresponding author; email: w.s.chiu@um.edu.my