A study of the role of the solvent during magnetite nanoparticle synthesis: tuning size, shape and self-assembly

We present a systematic study of the role of the solvent in the autoclave-based decomposition of iron(III) acetylacetonate to synthesise iron oxide nanoparticles. Subtle variations in solvent functionality yield substantial differences in nanoparticle morphology, spanning monodisperse spheres, hexagonal platelets, compound cubes and larger hierarchical structures. Solvents capable of chelation to iron afford the greatest influence over nanoparticle growth, whilst addition of side-chains to the solvent perturb competitive adsorption on growing nanoparticles to provide a new means of morphological control.