Iron (II,III) oxide nanoparticles

One of the basic elements of our daily life is iron. This element responsible for the core of technological development is prone to form many compounds with other elements, in particular with oxygen.

Therefore, iron oxides have become common and widely used, and due to their low price, they play an essential role in many chemical processes.

They are widely used as iron ores, termites, catalysts, and as permanent pigments.

• magnetite (Fe3O4),
• maghemite (γ-Fe2O3),
• hematite (α-Fe2O3),
• wustite (FeO).

The first of them – magnetite is the main goal of Wion Technology, because it consists of both Fe+2 and Fe+3 iron, which is the reason for its many unusual properties. It belongs to the group of iron spinels with a crystalline structure of the “cubic” type. It is commonly found as a mineral with admixtures of other metals, but when refined it has a very high iron content (>70%). Like other oxides from this family, it exhibits ferrimagnetic properties. However, it was his deep black color that allowed him to become the focus of attention at first, especially in the dyes industry. With time, along with the development of technology, it was noticed that it can be used in many other fields of science, such as electronics or medicine. It is a substitute for carbon black, which is not so widely used and, in addition, does not pose a threat to human health.

Iron (II, III) oxide nanoparticles

The next reveal of the new properties of magnetite was the stage of nanotechnology development. Recently, it has been an innovative field of science, and its possibilities have opened up a large area of research. However, many issues remain unresolved due to the complicated process of obtaining nanostructures and the difficulties associated with their application. The most popular issue of nanotechnology has become the preparation of nanoparticles and they are at the forefront of the rapid development of this field. It turns out that if the size of iron oxide (II, III) is reduced to the nanoscale (10-9), its particles become superparamagnetic, which is used in specialized areas:

acoustic speakers,
apparatus seals,
magnetic boards,
drug carriers, contrast,
smart coatings.

An interesting branch of nanomaterials are hybrid nano systems, which are distinguished by a functionalized surface, often combining the properties of inorganic and organic compounds. An example of such a compound is iron (II, III) oxide on which a polymer has been deposited. By creating a hybrid system together, such a nanomaterial additionally obtains specific functions depending on the needs of the application. They are used in wastewater treatment, especially in the case of pollution with heavy metals. In addition, further inorganic compounds, such as e.g. silicon or titanium oxides, can be attached to the polymer coating, enriching the system with further features.