Fe3O4 nanostructures: synthesis, growth mechanism, properties and applications

Recent progress in research on Fe3O4 nanocrystals has attracted much attention both for investigating fundamental nanomagnetism and their potential applications in nanocatalysis, biosensing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents and drug delivery. In this feature article, we provide an overview of synthetic strategies and growth mechanisms of various Fe3O4 nanostructures, discuss the uniqueness of associated properties, and illustrate their potential applications.