Novel methods for the synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles with special morphologies and textured assemblages

There is an increasing technological demand for magnetic nanocrystals with special morphologies and controlled sizes. Several approaches are used for the synthesis of magnetite crystals with irregular or octahedral shapes; however, the room-temperature synthesis of nanocrystals with specific morphologies is not yet established. Here, we describe the synthesis of magnetite crystals (100–300 nm) at a relatively low temperature (~70 °C) from organic precursors, including Fe(II) oxalate or Fe(II) sulfate, and study the effects of ethylene glycol and tetraethylene glycol on the final physical and chemical properties of the crystals. The magnetite crystals formed from different precursor materials (sulfate or oxalate green rust) show specific morphological and textural features. We show that octahedral magnetite crystals can be produced from Fe(II) oxalate via a simple co-precipitation process. Using different kinds and amounts of polyols, various types of particle morphologies and nanocrystal textures can be produced, including hexagonal-shaped clusters of elongated crystals and porous and solid, large, rounded polycrystalline aggregates.