Synthesis and Characterization of Single-Domain Monocrystalline Magnetite Particles by Oxidative Aging of Fe(OH)₂

Abstract

We report the fabrication of highly crystalline magnetite particles with a uniform morphology and a relatively uniform average size of 54 nm. Particles were fabricated by oxidation of Fe(OH)2 by nitrate in basic aqueous media. Characterization of the particles by means of transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray and electron diffraction, and magnetometry showed that they were octahedral magnetic monodomains of highly stoichiometric magnetite (unit formula was estimated to be Fe2.985O4), with room-temperature ferrimagnetic behavior and a saturation magnetization of 81.6 emu/g.