Issue 4, 2022

Solution-phase decomposition of ferrocene into wüstite-iron oxide core–shell nanoparticles

Abstract

We report an improved method for the controlled solvent-phase decomposition of ferrocene into highly crystalline monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles at relatively low temperatures. Solution-phase decomposition of ferrocene into nanoparticles has received little attention in the literature, due to the percieved stability of ferrocene. However, we synthesised wüstite FeO-iron oxide core–shell nanoparticles by thermally decomposing ferrocene in 1-octadecene solvent and in the presence of oleic acid and oleylamine, as surfactants. We report procedures that provide cubic and spherical core–shell iron oxide nanoparticles whose size (29.3 ± 2.3 nm for spheres, 38.6 ± 6.9 nm for distorted cubes and 23.5 ± 2.4 nm for distorted cubes with concave faces) and shape can be controlled through simple adjustments to reaction parameters. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction analysis methods were used to characterise the nanoparticles.

Graphical abstract: Solution-phase decomposition of ferrocene into wüstite-iron oxide core–shell nanoparticles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 Sept. 2021
Accepted
17 Dec. 2021
First published
24 Dec. 2021

Dalton Trans., 2022,51, 1603-1611

Solution-phase decomposition of ferrocene into wüstite-iron oxide core–shell nanoparticles

M. J. Loedolff, R. O. Fuller, G. L. Nealon, M. Saunders, M. A. Spackman and G. A. Koutsantonis, Dalton Trans., 2022, 51, 1603 DOI: 10.1039/D1DT03222D

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