Open AccessSynthesis, characterisation, and evaluation of core–shell Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 /polypyrrole composite nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Li Bei,
Qiao Yongsheng,
An Jinhui,
Shen Lazhen,
Ma Qi,
Guo Yong
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
micro and nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1750-0443
DOI - 10.1049/mnl.2017.0907
Subject(s) - polypyrrole , materials science , nanoparticle , composite number , thermogravimetric analysis , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , chemical engineering , superparamagnetism , transmission electron microscopy , magnetic nanoparticles , nanotechnology , composite material , polymer , magnetization , polymerization , physics , quantum mechanics , magnetic field , engineering
This work reported a facile synthetic approach to synthesise core–shell Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 /polypyrrole composite nanoparticles with the superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles as the inner core. The core–shell Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 /polypyrrole composite nanoparticles were prepared through a three‐step approach involving co‐precipitation for the synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, Stöber method for SiO 2 intermediate layer coating and solvothermal methods for polypyrrole shell. The as‐prepared nanoparticles were characterised using transmission electron microscope, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyses and vibration sample magnetometer. The particle size of the inner core Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles was found to be 15 ± 3 nm, and the thicknesses of the SiO 2 shell and polypyrrole shell were ∼2.5 and ∼5 nm, respectively. From Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles to Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 and then to Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 /polypyrrole composite nanoparticles, the magnetic saturation gradually decreases from 67 to 34 emu/g, then dropped to 7 emu/g. The as‐prepared Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 /polypyrrole composite nanoparticles showed potential applications in drug and gene delivery systems.