Controlled manufacturing of nanoparticles by the laser pyrolysis: Application to cementite iron carbide

Abstract The laser pyrolysis is an attractive technique for the synthesis of different nanostructures from gas-phase precursors. The characteristics of this synthesized method are here exemplified by the production of almost pure cementite Fe 3 C nanomaterials, obtained by the pyrolysis of methyl methacrylate and iron pentacarbonyl (vapors). Those nanopowders exhibited core (Fe 3 C)–shell (MMA polymer-based) morphologies and mean particle diameters of about 8–9 nm. Preliminary magnetic measurements indicate rather high values for the saturation magnetization. By irradiating the same reactive mixture with a lower intensity radiation, the chemical content of nanopowders shifts towards mixtures of iron and maghemite/magnetite iron oxides.