The effect of carboxylic acids on the oxidation of coated iron oxide nanoparticles

57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM were used to investigate the effect of mandelic- and salicylic acid coatings on the iron oxide nanoparticles. These two carboxylic acids have similar molecules size and stoichiometry, but different structure and acidity. Significant differences were observed between the Mossbauer spectra of samples coated with mandelic acid and salicylic acid. These results indicate that the occurrence of iron microenvironments in the mandelic- and salicylic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles is different. The results can be interpreted in terms of the influence of the acidity of carboxylic acids on the formation, core/shell structure, and oxidation of coated iron oxide nanocomposites.