Optimisation of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Agglomeration and Blockage in Aqueous Flow Systems
| Autor: | Rebecca O. Fuller, David W. Howells, Curtis C. Ho, LM Landowski, Olivier Bibari, Madeleine R. Taylor, Allanna M. Russell, Karen L. Livesey |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Australian Journal of Chemistry. 75:102-110 |
| ISSN: | 1445-0038 0004-9425 |
| Popis: | The translation of nanoparticles to useful applications is often hindered by the reliability of synthetic methodologies to reproducibly generate larger particles of uniform size (diameter > 20 nm). The inability to precisely control nanoparticle crystallinity, size, and shape has significant implications on observed properties and therefore applications. A series of iron oxide particles have been synthesised and the impact of size as they agglomerate in aqueous media undergoing flow through a capillary tube has been studied. Reaction conditions for the production of large (side length > 40 nm) cubic magnetite (Fe3O4) have been optimised to produce particles with different diameters up to 150 nm. We have focussed on reproducibility in synthesis rather than dispersity of the size distribution. A simple oxidative cleavage of the as-synthesised particles surfactant coating transforms the hydrophobic oleic acid coated Fe3O4 to a hydrophilic system based on azelaic acid. The hydrophilic coating can be further functionalised, in this case we have used a simple biocompatible polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating. The ability of particles to either chain, flow, and fully/or partially aggregate in aqueous media has been tested in a simple in-house system made from commercial components. Fe3O4 nanoparticles (60–85 nm) with a simple PEG coating were found to freely flow at a 2 mm distance from a magnet over 3 min at a rate of 1 mL min−1. Larger particles with side lengths of ~150 nm, or those without a PEG coating were not able to fully block the tube. Simple calculations have been performed to support these observations of magnetic agglomeration. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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