Monodisperse magnetic core/shell microspheres with Pd nanoparticles-incorporated-carbon shells.

This work reports a hard self-template method to synthesize core/shell like Fe3O4@C microparticles, in which the Pd nanocrystals can be alternatively incorporated into the carbon shells. The Fe3O4@polyaniline core/shell microspheres were first synthesized as the precursor by in situ polymerization of aniline onto the surface of the Fe3O4 microspheres. In a subsequent carbonization of the precursor under a vacuum oven, the Fe3O4 core was preserved and the polyaniline shell transferred into carbon shells enveloping the magnetic sphere, forming magnetic Fe3O4@C microspheres. The Pd ions could be impregnated into the polyaniline shell, and thus the obtained composites were transformed into Fe3O4@C/Pd microspheres under the same vacuum heating progress. The as-obtained system demonstrates superparamagnetic characteristics, which would benefit its potential application in nanocatalysts. This strategy provides an efficient approach for tailoring core/shell materials with desired functionalities and structures by adjusting the precursors and structure-directing agents.