Preparation of hollow spherical magnetite nanoparticles

We have developed and tested procedures for the synthesis of hollow spherical magnetite nanoparticles and analyzed the general mechanisms of their formation in relation to their structure and morphology. The phase composition, elemental composition, and morphology of the synthesized particles have been examined by X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, and their magnetic properties have been studied by an induction method using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The results demonstrate that the proposed procedures enable the preparation of hollow porous spherical magnetite particles 40 nm to 100 µm in diameter, with a wall thickness ≃d/10 and a narrow size distribution.