A novel mechanochemical synthesis of ferromagnetic Fe3Al nanoparticles and preparation of its polyaniline nanocomposite

Iron aluminide Fe ₃ Al nanostructures were synthesized by chemical reduction of iron(II) chloride via aluminum nanoparticles in the solid state. Aluminum nanoparticles (AlNPs) were prepared by a novel wire drawing method in the presence of lubricating oil. Chemical reduction of iron(II) salts in aqueous solution by metallic aluminum has a many mechanistic considerations. These mechanistic aspects were available by understanding the mechanism of electron transfer reactions between metal complexes. Here the mechanochemical reaction between aluminum nanoparticles and crystalline iron(II) chloride occurred by inner sphere electron transfer mechanism. The products were characterized by IR, UV–Vis, XRD, FESEM, and VSM. The weight fraction of iron aluminide nanoparticles calculated by the Rietveld method. Quantitative XRD analysis show a weight fraction of Fe ₃Al 87% and unreacted metallic aluminum 13% respectively. The magnetic parameters of sample are obtained from the hysteresis loop and show a magnetic saturation (M _s = 135.223 emu g ⁻¹) and coercivity (H _c = 125.362 Oc) respectively. Polyaniline was synthesized by a mechanochemical reaction between aniline hydrochloride and potassium peroxydisulfate. Finally, ferromagnetic PANI/Fe ₃Al nanocomposite was prepared by the milling method in solid-state. The weight fractions of Fe ₃Al, Al and PANI in nanocomposite were calculated 3.30, 1.20 and 95.50% respectively. The electrical resistivity was measured by 4 Point Probe and found is equal to be 20 Ohm for polyaniline and 470 Ohm in the nanocomposite.