Template-Assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Passivated Nickel Nanoparticles

Potential applications of nickel nanoparticles demand the synthesis of self-protected nickel nanoparticles by different synthesis techniques. A novel and simple technique for the synthesis of self-protected nickel nanoparticles is realized by the inter-matrix synthesis of nickel nanoparticles by cation exchange reduction in two types of resins. Two different polymer templates namely strongly acidic cation exchange resins and weakly acidic cation exchange resins provided with cation exchange sites which can anchor metal cations by the ion exchange process are used. The nickel ions which are held at the cation exchange sites by ion fixation can be subsequently reduced to metal nanoparticles by using sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. The composites are cycled repeating the loading reduction cycle involved in the synthesis procedure. X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectrum, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Analysis are effectively utilized to investigate the different structural characteristics of the nanocomposites. The hysteresis loop parameters namely saturation magnetization and coercivity are measured using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. The thermomagnetization study is also conducted to evaluate the Curie temperature values of the composites. The effect of cycling on the structural and magnetic characteristics of the two composites are dealt in detail. A comparison between the different characteristics of the two nanocomposites is also provided

Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) Short-Nanotubes

We report a rational synthesis of maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) short-nanotubes (SNTs) by a convenient hydrothermal method and subsequent annealing process. The structure, shape, and magnetic properties of the SNTs were investigated. Room-temperature and low-temperature magnetic measurements show that the as-fabricated γ-Fe2O3 SNTs are ferromagnetic, and its coercivity is nonzero when the temperature above blocking temperature (TB). The hysteresis loop was operated to show that the magnetic properties of γ-Fe2O3 SNTs are strongly influenced by the morphology of the crystal. The unique magnetic behaviors were interpreted by the competition of the demagnetization energy of quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy of particles in SNTs

Nanoincorporation of iron oxides into carrageenan gels and magnetometric and morphological characterizations of the composite products

Carrageenan-based magnetic composites were prepared via in situ synthesis of iron oxides in a gelatinous network of the polysaccharide. The repeatable synthesis process involved three steps: immersion into ferrous salt (FeCl2) solution, alkali treatment in sodium hydroxide solution and oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, successively performed with τ- or κ-carrageenan hydrogels as the starting material. Field emission scanning electron microscope observations, X-ray diffractometry and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry were carried out for the freeze-dried composites. Feroxyhite and magnetite and/or maghemite particles were produced after one cycle and multicycles of the in situ process, respectively, with a size less than several tens of nanometers, and were distributed throughout the inside as well as on the surface of numerous fibrillar entities constituting the carrageenan matrix. Nearly all the composite products explored displayed a superparamagnetic (SPM) property at 298 K; the estimated saturation magnetization (Ms) increased with increasing concentrations of FeCl2 in the gel immersion step and with repetition of the standardized process of iron oxide synthesis. By repeating the synthesis cycle 3–4 times, a composite of practically high Ms reaching ~25 emu (g sample)−1 was easily obtained without impairing the SPM character. Insight was provided into the evolution mechanism of the oxidation state and dimensional distribution of the cyclically loaded iron oxide nanoparticles through comparison with another composite series obtained by a co-precipitation method with a 1:2 mixture of ferrous/ferric salts