Synthesis and Characterization of Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Nanoparticles by Sol-Gel Method Using Water as a Solvent
Ahmad Mustafa, Usman Ali, Mukarama, Ali Iqbal, Maria Qayyum, Inam Ul Haq, Fakhar Islam
Abstract
Ferromagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using water as the solvent through the sol-gel method, which was selected for its cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and eco-friendly nature. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using a variety of techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). These characterizations confirmed the successful formation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra identified characteristic peaks corresponding to the functional groups present, and XRD analysis, using Scherer’s equation, determined an average crystalline size of 1.2 nm for the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. TGA results demonstrated the thermal stability of the nanoparticles, SEM imaging revealed distinct honeycomb-like structures for the nanoparticles synthesized with water as the solvent, while the VSM analysis was used to determine the magnetic behavior of the nanoparticles.