Formation of magnetite nanoparticles in poly(acrylamide) gels

Abstract

Magnetic gels with magnetite nanoparticles incorporated in a matrix of poly(acrylamide) gel were studied. Magnetite was synthesized through coprecipitation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in the gel phase, in the solution of linear polymer and in aqueous solution without polymer in alkaline media. The effects of network structure and of the concentration of iron salts in the swollen networks on the composition, structure and properties of magnetic gels have been studied by electron diffraction, XRD, transmission electron microscopy and vibration sample magnetometry. The average size of magnetite nanoparticles, D, is of the order of 10 nm. It decreases with the increase of polymer concentration in the gel phase. In the dried gels the particles form spherical aggregates (diameter about 150 nm), whereas in the solution of linear polymer, in the aqueous solution of iron salts and in the gel with high content of polymer the aggregates have irregular shape.