Hydrophilic polymer assisted synthesis of room-temperature ferromagnetic Fe3O4 nanochains

One-dimensional chains consisting of crystalline Fe3O4 nanoparticles have been synthesized by using a polyacrylic acid template method. The characterizations of composition, structure, and magnetic property of the chains are performed. The formation mechanism of Fe3O4 nanocrystal chains is proposed to be a polymer template and magnetostatic interaction. In a weak magnetic field, the synthesized nanochains can be reorganized. The as-synthesized nanochains are ferromagnetic at room temperature with lower saturation magnetization and higher coercivity value than those of bulk Fe3O4, which could have potential applications in nanosensors for rapid and sensitive detection of biologic or chemical molecules. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.