Synthesis of maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles by wet chemical method at room temperature

Abstract In this research work an innovative one step method is described for the production of maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nano-particles at room temperature. The nano-particles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectrum (IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), respectively. The average crystallite and particle size of the maghemite nano-particles were estimated to be 13 and 10 nm, by XRD and TEM, respectively. The TEM image showed that the γ-Fe2O3 nano-particles were of approximate spherical shape. Using the method presented here, maghemite nano-particles, 10 nm in size, could be produced without using organic solvent and oxidation.