Novel Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Renewable-Resource Based Carbon-Magnetite Nanocomposites

Abstract

Magnetic carbon-iron oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized using tannin, a renewable resource material, in combination with a microwave-based thermolytic process without the addition of any inert or reducing gas during the synthesis. The predominant iron oxide species present in these particles has been determined by XRD and FT-IR to be magnetite (Fe₃O₄). These iron oxide nanoparticles are embedded within a carbon matrix in small clusters generally ≤100 nm in size. The resulting powder is approximately 48% (w/w) magnetite, and has been characterized by magnetic susceptibility and SQUID analysis.

Keywords:

• Nanocomposite
• magnetite, magnetic
• nanoparticle
• microwave
• tannin
• renewable
• iron oxide

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to the Nanotechnology Center at UALR for their assistance in characterization. Partial support for the project was provided by the US Department of Energy.