Controllable synthesis, characterization, and magnetic properties of nanoscale zerovalent iron with specific high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area

Abstract

This article reports a novel approach for the controllable synthesis of nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) particles with specific high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas. Borohydride reduction is a primary and effective liquid phase reduction method for the synthesis of zerovalent iron nanoparticles. However, previous methods for synthesizing NZVI did not suggest a standard technique for controlling the size of particles during the synthesis process; in addition, previous literature generally reported that NZVI had a BET surface area of < 37 m(2)/g. In this communication, a novel approach for the controllable synthesis of NZVI particles with specific high BET surface areas is presented. As a result, the BET surface areas of the NZVI particles synthesized increased to 47.49 and 62.48 m(2)/g, and the particle sizes decreased to 5-40 and 3-30 nm. Additionally, the physical and chemical properties of the synthesized NZVI particles were investigated by a series of characterizations, and magnetic analysis indicated that the synthesized NZVI particles had super-paramagnetic properties.