Preparation of graphite-coated iron nanoparticles using pulsed laser decomposition of Fe3(CO)12 and PPh3 in hexane

Abstract

Graphite-coated iron nanoparticles with high magnetization have been synthesized by 355 nm pulsed laser photodecomposition of Huron dodecacarbonyl Fe3(CO)12 in the presence of triphenylphosphine PPh 3. The iron particles have been found to be stable toward oxygen and strong mineral acids. The graphite shell surrounding the iron core has been shown to possess defects on its outer layers, rendering them suitable for functionalization. These superparamagnetic spherical nanoparticles show a high magnetization value of 103.9 emu/g, as indicated by SQUID measurements. We believe that the as-prepared graphite-coated iron nanoparticles have great potential in magnetic resonance imaging and other biomagnetic applications. © 2007 American Chemical Society.