Can biologically synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles dispersed in suitable solvent be called a Ferrofluid?
Is it necessary to use any surfactant if the the iron oxide nanoparticles are synthesized biologically?
the use of surfactant is to prevent agglomeration of the particle. check your sample for Zeta potential to know it is stable are not, then think of using surfactant.
In any colloid when number concentration of the dispersed phase is large then there will be always attraction between particles due to van der Walls force. Iron oxide particles synthesized in any way is no exception. Moreover ,if the nano- particles are magnetic as in a ferrofluid they performs like a tiny magnets and there will be magnetic attraction between particles.Both these attractions will lead to aggregation. Hence to counteract these attraction one has provide either steric or Coulomb attraction. For a water base ferrofluid the later one can be used and is called ionic ferrofluid. The former one requires a suitable surfactant. The choice of surfactant depends on end application. For biological application water base is more suitable and one has to select surfactants to provide hydrophilic environment.
Dear Dr.Rasbindu V. Mehta and researchers,
I used Oleic acid as surfactant but my Ferrofluid don't work. They don't show spikes as video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8cCvAITGWM
Can you please help me to explain this?
A ferrofluid is composed of IONPs, a surfactant that coats the magnetic IONPs to prevent agglomeration, and a carrier liquid that suspends the IONPs. Coprecipitation and thermal decomposition are the main methods used for the synthesis of IONPs.
Surfactants prevent the nanoparticles from approaching one another too closely. When a strong magnet is placed near the ferrofluid, spikes are observed. The spikes arise from the tendency of the particles to line up along the magnetic field lines to lower their energy.
Surfactants prevent the nanoparticles from approaching one another too closely.
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