Simple continuous flow synthesis of linoleic and palmitic acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles

This work reports the first continuous flow synthesis of linoleic and palmitic acid-coated magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with a simple tubular reactor using the standard synthetic procedure of chemical co-precipitation without using an inert atmosphere and at room temperature. The flow system and surface modification were varied and applied, to carefully control the size of the magnetite nanoparticles. During the final crystallization phase of magnetite nanoparticles, linoleic acid and palmitic acid were used as coating agents. The influences of the coating agents and other conditions on the size and mono-dispersion characteristics of the produced nanoparticles were investigated. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX), fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The process was easily scaled up and, the facile synthesis procedure is of potential industrial importance to allow commercial large-scale production of stabilized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.