Pulsed- Electrochemical Synthesis and Characterizations of Magnetite Nanorods

Magnetite nanorods are synthesized by exerting pulsed current in potassium hydroxide solution for the direct oxidation of iron electrode. The prepared samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The effects of synthesis parameters such as pulse height (current amplitude or current density), pulse frequency, solution temperature, potassium hydroxide concentration and type and concentration of synthesis additives on the morphology and particles sizes are investigated by the "one at a time" method. The optimized conditions are 2 M potassium hydroxide, 45 degrees C solution temperature, 18 mA. cm(-2) pulse height, 8 Hz pulse frequency, and 1 g.L-1 cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as synthesis director additive conditions to synthesize nanostructured magnetite. In the optimized conditions, nanomagnetite is synthesized in nanorod form with 67 nm average diameter and 900 nm average lengths.