Facile Synthesis of ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles with Tunable Magnetic and Sensing Properties

Nanoparticles (NPs) and colloidal nanocrystal clusters (CNCs) of ZnFe2O4 were synthesized by using a solvothermal method in a controlled manner through simply adjusting the solvents. When a glycerol/water mixture was used as the solvent, ZnFe2O4 NPs were obtained. However, using ethylene glycol solv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Langmuir 2013-07, Vol.29 (28), p.8997-9003
Main Authors: Guo, Peizhi, Cui, Lijun, Wang, Yiqian, Lv, Meng, Wang, Baoyan, Zhao, X. S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemistry
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical - instrumentation
Colloidal state and disperse state
Electrochemistry
Exact sciences and technology
Ferrous Compounds - chemistry
General and physical chemistry
Hydrogen Peroxide - analysis
Hydrogen Peroxide - chemistry
Magnetic Phenomena
Nanoparticles - chemistry
Nanotechnology - methods
Oxides - chemical synthesis
Oxides - chemistry
Particle Size
Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena
Solvents - chemistry
Temperature
Zinc - chemistry
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Summary:Nanoparticles (NPs) and colloidal nanocrystal clusters (CNCs) of ZnFe2O4 were synthesized by using a solvothermal method in a controlled manner through simply adjusting the solvents. When a glycerol/water mixture was used as the solvent, ZnFe2O4 NPs were obtained. However, using ethylene glycol solvent yielded well-dispersed ZnFe2O4 CNCs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data confirmed that the ZnFe2O4 NPs were a single crystalline phase with tunable sizes ranging from 12 to 20 nm, while the ZnFe2O4 CNCs of submicrometer size consisted of single-crystalline nanosheets. Magnetic measurement results showed that the ZnFe2O4 NPs were ferromagnetic with a very small hysteresis loop at room temperature. However, CNCs displayed a superparamagnetic behavior due to preferred orientations of the nanosheets. Electrochemical sensing properties showed that both the size of the NPs and the structure of the CNCs had a great influence on their electrochemical properties in the reduction of H2O2. Based on the experimental results, the formation mechanisms of both the ZnFe2O4 CNCs and NPs as well as their structure–property relationship were discussed.
ISSN:0743-7463
1520-5827
DOI:10.1021/la401627x