Fabrication of Fe3O4 octahedra by a triethanolamine-assisted hydrothermal process

Octahedral Fe3O4 microcrystals were synthesized using a triethanolamine-assisted route under hydrothermal conditions. The chemical compositions and morphologies of the as-prepared samples were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). During the hydrothermal process for the preparation of Fe3O4 octahedra, the possible mechanism was discussed to elucidate the formation of the octahedral Fe3O4 microcrystals. Triethanolamine and hydrazine hydrate play important roles in the formation of the final products. The magnetic property of sample was evaluated on a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. The values of saturation magnetization and coercivity of octahedral Fe3O4 are about 103 emu/g and 157 Oe, respectively. (C) 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim