Study of magnetic and structural and optical properties of Zn doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method for biomedical application

Objective(s): This paper describes synthesizing of magnetic nanocomposite with co-precipitation method.   Materials and Methods: Magnetic ZnxFe3-xO4 nanoparticles with 0-14% zinc doping (x=0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1 and 0.125) were successfully synthesized by co-precipitation method. The prepared zinc-doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and UV-Vis spectroscopy.   Results: results obtained from X-ray diffraction pattern have revealed the formation of single phase nanoparticles with cubic inverse spinal structures which size varies from 11.13 to 12.81 nm. The prepared nanoparticles have also possessed superparamagnetic properties at room temperature and high level of saturation magnetization with the maximum level of 74.60 emu/g for x=0.075. Ms changing in pure magnetite nanoparticles after impurities addition were explained based on two factors of “particles size” and “exchange interactions”. Optical studies results revealed that band gaps in all Zn-doped NPs are higher than pure Fe3O4. As doping percent increases, band gap value decreases from 1.26 eV to 0.43 eV.   Conclusion: These magnetic nanocomposite structures since having superparamagnetic property offer a high potential for biosensing and biomedical application.