Fe3O4.SiO2: A Study of Structural and Magnetic Properties in Various Volume of Tetraethyl Orthosilicate

Magnetic nanofluids are a category of nanomaterial which exhibit simultaneously liquid and superparamagnetic properties. These nanofluids are magnetic nanoparticles stably dispersed in liquid carrier. Magnetic nanoparticles with and without SiO2 encapsulation have been successfully synthesized by co-precipitation method from ferrous and ferric precursors dispersed in various liquid. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were investigated by Zeta Potential and HR-TEM to determine the stability of nanoparticles, average particles size and microstructure of nanoparticles. From zeta potential measurements, is was found that the value of zeta potential for Fe3O4 dispersed in ethanol was ± 0,9 mV, while dispersed in di-water was ± 31,1 mV, indicating that nanoparticles Fe3O4 are more stable in DI-water. The increasing of zeta potential indicated the adsorption of negatively charged hydroxyl group to the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. From XRD measurements, it was found that crystal quality of Fe3O4.SiO2 sintering at 80 °C decreased by increasing the volume of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), while that samples sintering at 1000 °C have a good crystal quality with hexagonal phase of a-Fe2O3.SiO2. From SQUID measurements, it was found that samples of Fe3O4.SiO2 sintering at 80 °C with TEOS volumes of 1 ml and 2 ml showed a paramagnetic like while samples of a-Fe2O3.SiO2 sintering at 1000 °C with the same TEOS volume showed ferrimagnetic properties.