Impact of heating mode in synthesis of monodisperse iron-oxide nanoparticles via oleate decomposition

The present work introduces the optimization of a synthetic procedure for oleate-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles by the thermal decomposition of Fe oleate dried at 30 and 70 °C in high-boiling organic solvents. The attention is focused on the temperature of the thermal decomposition, the nature of organic solvent, heating rate and the mode of the heating. In particular, heating on Wood alloy with simultaneous bubbling of argon through the reaction mixture versus the heating on mantel with magnetic stirring is highlighted as a route to improve the monodispersity of the nanoparticles. The effect of heating mode and rate on the nanoparticles size is estimated. The obtained tendencies point to the heating mode and rate as additional factors affecting the kinetic separation between nucleation and nanoparticle growth processes.