Formation of Magnetite Nanoparticles at Low Temperature: From Superparamagnetic to Stable Single Domain Particles

Open access
Date
2013-03-08Type
- Journal Article
Abstract
The room temperature co-precipitation of ferrous and ferric iron under alkaline conditions typically yields superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles below a size of 20 nm. We show that at pH = 9 this method can be tuned to grow larger particles with single stable domain magnetic (> 20–30 nm) or even multi-domain behavior (> 80 nm). The crystal growth kinetics resembles surprisingly observations of magnetite crystal formation in magnetotactic bacteria. The physicochemical parameters required for mineralization in these organisms are unknown, therefore this study provides insight into which conditions could possibly prevail in the biomineralizing vesicle compartments (magnetosomes) of these bacteria. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000066748Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
PLoS ONEVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Public Library of ScienceOrganisational unit
03734 - Jackson, Andrew / Jackson, Andrew
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