A short route of micrometric magnetite synthesis via Fe-EDTA thermal decomposition

We develop an procedure for synthesizing micrometric magnetite crystals after two hours of autoclavation at 250°C by hydrothermal decomposition of Fe- Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Fe-EDTA) complex in the presence of urea starting from Fe (III)-Ferric Ammonium Sulfate (FAS), and Na4EDTA as main precursors. Crystals with 10–15 µm in size (along the <001> axis), were obtained. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and magnetic measurements were performed to investigate the final product. A low remanent magnetization (5 emu/g) was observed at high level magnetic field intensity (3.8 kOe), emulating superparamagnetic behavior, uncommon for magnetic microparticles at room temperature.