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Nanostructural and magnetic studies of virtually monodispersed NiFe2O4 nanocrystals synthesized by a liquid–solid-solution assisted hydrothermal route

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Abstract

This study presents a comprehensively and systematically structural, chemical and magnetic characterization of ~9.5 nm virtually monodispersed nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles prepared using a modified liquid–solid-solution (LSS) assisted hydrothermal method. Lattice-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and converged beam electron diffraction pattern (CBED) techniques are adapted to characterize the detailed spatial morphology and crystal structure of individual NiFe2O4 particles at nano scale for the first time. It is found that each NiFe2O4 nanoparticle is single crystal with an fcc structure. The morphology investigation reveals that the prepared NiFe2O4 nanoparticles of which the surfaces are decorated by oleic acid are dispersed individually in hexane. The chemical composition of nickel ferrite nanoparticles is measured to be 1:2 atomic ratio of Ni:Fe, indicating a pure NiFe2O4 composition. Magnetic measurements reveal that the as-synthesized nanocrystals displayed superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature and were ferromagnetic at 10 K. The nanoscale characterization and magnetic investigation of monodispersed NiFe2O4 nanoparticles should be significant for its potential applications in the field of biomedicine and magnetic fluid using them as magnetic materials.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 program) (Grant No.: 2012CB933104), the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province of China (Grant No.: 1107RJZA221), the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities from the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (Grant No: 860521), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 11034004). We would like to thank Prof. Roger R Ford, School of Computing, Science & Engineering, the University of Salford, UK, for the correction of English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Xinghua Li, Guoguo Tan, Wei Chen, Baofan Zhou, Desheng Xue, Yong Peng & Fashen Li

  2. Nano Materials Group, School of Computing, Science and Engineering, University of Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WT, UK

    Nigel J. Mellors

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  1. Xinghua Li
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  2. Guoguo Tan
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  3. Wei Chen
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  4. Baofan Zhou
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  6. Yong Peng
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  7. Fashen Li
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Correspondence to Yong Peng or Fashen Li.

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Li, X., Tan, G., Chen, W. et al. Nanostructural and magnetic studies of virtually monodispersed NiFe2O4 nanocrystals synthesized by a liquid–solid-solution assisted hydrothermal route. J Nanopart Res 14, 751 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-0751-6

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