Microwave Synthesis of Magnetite Nanoparticles and Mg-Doped Magnetite Nanoparticles by Precipitation of Fe2+ Ions.

This study is focused on a simple and fast synthesis of nonstoichiometric magnetite nanoparticles with the chemical formula Fe3-XO₄ and magnesium ferrite nanoparticles (Mg1-XFe2+XO₄). The nanoparticles were prepared with Fe2+ ions (FeSO₄ · H₂O) alkalised by KOH under oxidative conditions and in a microwave field. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and 57Fe transmission Mössbauer spectroscopy were used to determine the phase composition and crystal structure in detail. The presence of synthetic magnetite, maghemite, goethite, and magnesium ferrite was observed. Room temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed the existence of ferromagnetic sublattices and superparamagnetic fraction. The superparamagnetic component corresponds to magnesium ferrite nanoparticles. Low temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to locate the blocking temperature of superparamagnetic nanoparticles and to separate the sublattices. The presumed spherical morphology of nanoparticles and their size under 100 nm have been confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained results were used to provide possible reaction scheme, which serves to tailor the synthesis to a desired application.