Preparation of Fe3O4 magnetic fluid by one-step method with a microemulsion reactor

A W/O microemulsion was prepared with Span80-PS (petroleum sulfonate) as complex emulsifier, isopropanol as cosurfactant and kerosene as oil phase. The optimal constituents of microemulsion were found from pseudoternary phase diagrams: the mass ratio of Span80 to PS was 4:1 and complex surfactant to cosurfactant was 1:1. The Fe₃O₄ magnetic fluid was obtained by one-step method with the W/O microemulsion as microreactor to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles (reaction temperature was 30 °C and reaction time was 5 h) and kerosene as carrier liquid. The magnetic fluid was investigated by TEM, XRD and fluorescence microscope. The magnetism was determined by Gouy magnetic balance. The average particle size of Fe₃O₄ was 7.4 nm, and magnetic particles were well-dispersed. The stable Fe₃O₄ magnetic fluid with good magnetism may be produced by one-step method in the W/O microemulsion. Accordingly, the traditional preparation method of magnetic fluid can be simplified greatly. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2005, 22 (7) (in Chinese)