Abstract
Various pathways to obtain γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles by oxidizing colloidal magnetite are reported, with focus on resulting variations in surface structural features. Some outstanding surface properties of γ-Fe2O3 are pointed out. With a few examples it is shown how surface phenomena can enable to tailor the material for a wide range of utilizations.
γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite) is a cation deficient ferrimagnetic spinel, technologically interesting mainly because of its magnetic properties. These properties, for a nanophase material, are strongly dependent not only on the particle size, but also on magnetic interactions between the particles. The state of dispersion is therefore a major parameter to be controlled. The particle ability to disperse is closely related to the particular structure of the surface. γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles are easily obtained by oxidizing colloidal magnetite [1–5]. Oxidation can be achieved, roughly speaking, by “addition of oxygen” or “removal of iron”. Both types of processes lead to the same structural features within the particle, but not at the surface. This can be used to enhance phenomena that take place at the interface solid/solution and enable to adapt the material for a wide range of utilizations, as shown below.
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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Tronc, E., Jolivet, J.P. (1994). Preparation of γ-Fe2O3 Particles. In: Hadjipanayis, G.C., Siegel, R.W. (eds) Nanophase Materials. NATO ASI Series, vol 260. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1076-1_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1076-1_2
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