- Title
- Optimisation of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Agglomeration and Blockage in Aqueous Flow Systems
- Creator
- Landowski, Lila M.; Livesey, Karen L.; Bibari, Olivier; Russell, Allanna M.; Taylor, Madeleine R.; Ho, Curtis C.; Howells, David W.; Fuller, Rebecca O.
- Relation
- Australian Journal of Chemistry Vol. 75, Issue 2, p. 102-110
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/CH21061
- Publisher
- C S I R O
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2022
- Description
- The translation of nanoparticles to useful applications is often hindered by the reliability of synthetic methodologies to reproducibly generate larger particles of uniform size (diameter > 20 nm). The inability to precisely control nanoparticle crystallinity, size, and shape has significant implications on observed properties and therefore applications. A series of iron oxide particles have been synthesised and the impact of size as they agglomerate in aqueous media undergoing flow through a capillary tube has been studied. Reaction conditions for the production of large (side length > 40 nm) cubic magnetite (Fe3O4) have been optimised to produce particles with different diameters up to 150 nm. We have focussed on reproducibility in synthesis rather than dispersity of the size distribution. A simple oxidative cleavage of the as-synthesised particles surfactant coating transforms the hydrophobic oleic acid coated Fe3O4 to a hydrophilic system based on azelaic acid. The hydrophilic coating can be further functionalised, in this case we have used a simple biocompatible polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating. The ability of particles to either chain, flow, and fully/or partially aggregate in aqueous media has been tested in a simple in-house system made from commercial components. Fe3O4 nanoparticles (60-85 nm) with a simple PEG coating were found to freely flow at a 2 mm distance from a magnet over 3 min at a rate of 1 mL min-1. Larger particles with side lengths of ∼150 nm, or those without a PEG coating were not able to fully block the tube. Simple calculations have been performed to support these observations of magnetic agglomeration.
- Subject
- magnetite; nanoparticles; iron oxide; synthesis; aqueous flow; agglomeration
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1478275
- Identifier
- uon:50142
- Identifier
- ISSN:0004-9425
- Language
- eng
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