Magnetic properties of iron-oxide and (iron, cobalt)-oxide nanoparticles synthesized in polystyrene resin matrix

Abstract A sulfonated polystyrene resin matrix was ion exchanged with aqueous solutions of (1) FeCl 2 , (2) FeCl 3 , (3) 2FeCl 2 :FeCl 3 , (4) 9FeCl 2 :CoCl 2 , and (5) 4FeCl 2 :CoCl 2 to prepare magnetic nanoparticles of varying size. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), 57 Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and identify two major phases: γ-Fe 2 O 3 , CoFe 2 O 4 , and perhaps a minor Fe 3 O 4 phase. SQUID magnetometry measurements indicate superparamagnetic particles with blocking temperatures ( T B ) ranging from 20 K to room temperature.