Effect of synthesis conditions on the properties of citric acid coated iron oxide nanoparticles

Abstract

Citric acid is a widely accepted coating material in nanoparticles fabrication for biomedical applications. Here, citric acid coated iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by three methods based on co-precipitation with different adding of citric acid and using different coating temperature in two-step process. The nanoparticles were characterized by various techniques, including Fourier transform infrared, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermo gravimetric analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometry. It was found that the adding of citric acid at different stages could adjust the core size of nanoparticles. The coating temperature could affect the citric acid adsorption around nanoparticles and alter the nanoparticles hydrodynamic size. The effects of citric acid coating on the magnetic behavior was also investigated on 9 nm and 25 nm uncoated iron oxide nanoparticles.