Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline Fe3O4 powders

Fe3O4 particles of nanometer size were hydrothermally synthesized from iron(II) 2-methoxyethoxides (Fe(OMOE)2), using 2-methoxyethanol (MOE)–water mixed solvent as the medium. The as-prepared powders were characterized in detail by conventional techniques such as X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, and transmission electron microscopy, and their magnetic properties were evaluated on a vibrating magnetometer. These Fe3O4 nanocrystallites would transform into α-Fe2O3 at a lower temperature, compared to those prepared by other methods.