Thermal degradation of magnetite nanoparticles with hydrophilic shell

The aim of this study was the investigation of thermal degradation process at the interface of a core-shell type structure. Such hybrid compound was comprised of an inorganic core of magnetite nanoparticles and an organic shell consisting of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The thermal degradation has been studied by thermogravimetry in nitrogen atmosphere, up to 500 C. The evolved gases analysis was performed using a coupling to a quadrupole mass spectrometer and a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer equipped with external modulus for gas analyses. Isoconversional kinetic study was conducted and a three stage thermal degradation mechanism was proposed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.