Synthesis and Phase Transfer of Monodisperse Iron Oxide (Fe3O4) Nanocubes

Cube-shaped magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesised and studied with the aim to achieve superior magnetic properties. This study describes a straightforward and simple synthesis method for preparing monodisperse 11–14-nm superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocubes via an ‘effective monomer’ growth mechanism. The as-synthesised nanoparticles are insoluble in water. However, substitution of the non-polar ligands of the particles using a new method that involved an ionic compound generated colloidally stable and water dispersible cube-shaped particles with a very small hydrodynamic diameter. The cubes displayed superior magnetic properties over spherical particles.