A facile diethyl-carbonate-assisted combustion process for the preparation of the novel magnetic α-Fe2O3/Fe3O4 heterostructure nanoparticles

Abstract The novel magnetic α-Fe2O3/Fe3O4 heterostructure nanoparticles were successfully prepared via the diethyl-carbonate-assisted combustion process. The volumes of absolute ethanol and diethyl carbonate, the calcination temperature, the calcination time and the heating rate were five key factors to affect the components, crystallinity and the saturation magnetization (Ms) of magnetic α-Fe2O3/Fe3O4 heterostructure nanoparticles. As the volumes of absolute ethanol and diethyl carbonate, the calcination temperature or the calcination time increased, the crystallinity and the average grain size of the heterostructure nanoparticles raised. And when the heating rate was 5 oC/min and the other conditions were invariable, the maximum grain size of the heterostructure nanoparticles was greatest of 31.9 nm. The Ms of the heterostructure nanoparticles was the greatest when the calcination temperature was 300 oC and the volumes of absolute ethanol and diethyl carbonate were 25 mL and 20 mL, respectively. Furthermore, the Ms of the heterostructure nanoparticles was aggrandized with the augment of the calcination time or the decrease of the heating rate.