Structural and Magnetic Properties of Triethylene Glycol Stabilized Monodisperse Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

In this present study, a facile synthetic route was developed to prepare super-paramagnetic Fe3O4 MNPs directly via a one-pot approach. In this synthesis, only one iron containing compound and instead of high-boiling-point solvents, water-soluble tetraethylene glycol (TEG) was used as both the solvent and surfactant to control the particle growth and to prevent the aggregation of particles. Crystallite, particle, and magnetic core size are in good agreement with each other. The VSM measurement shows the superparamagnetic property of the product. The existence of TEG layer on the surface of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. The monodisperse morphology of the product was presented via TEM analysis. Due to the monodisperse morphology, superparamagnetic property, and small particle size, the product may have a potential application in biomedical research field.