Zn²⁺ Ion Surface Enrichment in Doped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Leads to Charge Carrier Density Enhancement.

ABSTRACT: Here, we report the development of monodisperse Zn-doped iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with different amounts of Zn (Zn _x Fe_3-x O₄, 0 < x < 0.43) by thermal decomposition of a mixture of zinc and iron oleates. The as-synthesized NPs show a considerable fraction of wüstite (FeO) which is transformed to spinel upon 2 h oxidation of the NP reaction solutions. At any Zn doping amounts, we observed the enrichment of the NP surface with Zn²⁺ ions, which is enhanced at higher Zn loadings. Such a distribution of Zn²⁺ ions is attributed to the different thermal decomposition profiles of Zn and Fe oleates, with Fe oleate decomposing at much lower temperature than that of Zn oleate. The decomposition of Zn oleate is, in turn

SUBMITTER: Bram S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6643693 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature