Comprehensive structural and magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized through chemical routes

Magnetite (Fe3O4) is one of the most widely explored ceramic materials for the applications in various industrial and biomedical levels. Applications towards specific field require tuning of its properties, which can be modulated by controlling particle size as well as different synthesis parameters and conditions. In present work, we have chosen six different chemical synthesis routes and performed a comparative study on variations in structural and physical properties. Present results show that all the synthesis methods provide particles of nanometer range, but the average size of the particle and particle size distribution is different for each method. Present analyses of room temperature and low temperature magnetic data confirm the possibility of presence of superparamagnetic state in 6–8 nm particles. Moreover, the interaction effects are dominant above blocking temperature. From the magnetization data it is also shown how the exchange term evolves as the particle size increases. Additionally, high temperature magnetic measurements are also carried out to compare size dependent magnetic response towards increasing temperature. Since the finite size effects dominate in this range of particles, we believe present study can provide a guideline to choose particular synthesis method for specific application.