Facile Synthesis of Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Nanoparticles with a High Specific Surface Area

Abstract

A facile method was developed for the synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with a higher specific surface area. Na2CO3 and hydrazine were added during the co-precipitation of ferrous and ferric species, without the assistance of any organic reagents or templates. The results show that the prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles had a specific surface area of 286.9 m2/g, with satisfactory size and purity, thus exhibiting superparamagnetic properties with a relatively strong saturation magnetization (91 emu/g) at room temperature. This method is inexpensive, nontoxic, and reproducible.