Zerovalent iron if synthesized in lab by reducing iron ions seems to be very unstable. It tends to form an oxide layer immediately as soon as the attempt of drying of the samples. Does anyone have any suggestions to folloz some precuation during reduction or drying to avoid immediate oxide formation?
Use a surfactant (e.g. oleic acid) to coat the precipitated iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs). These are virtually the same precautions as when dealing with ferromagnetic fluids (i.e. ferrofluids). Here is a link to a reliable procedure for making ferrofluid: https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-liquid-magnets-606319
The feasibility of these methods is strongly dependent on your intended use of the Fe NPs. If you just want to use the reduced Fe NPs, without prolonged storage, I would recommend carrying out the reduction under an inert gas atmosphere (as much as it can be a bother, this is by far the least cost-intensive and most straightforward (particularly in terms of introducing no impurities to the NPs) approach.
If you do not want to coat the particles with anything you need to dry in the absence of any oxidizing agent. You might try freeze drying. To speed freeze drying use a slight helium purge.
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