Spectrophotometric analysis of hematite/magnetite nanocomposites in comparison with EDX and XRF techniques

M.A. Zayed, N.G. Imam, M.A. Ahmed, Doaa H. El Sherbiny

Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is the use of various analytical techniques to analyze and characterize the ferrous/ferric constituents of the prepared ferrofluid nanocomposites xFe₂O₃/(1 − x) Fe₃O₄ with different ratio x (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0), from magnetite and hematite nanoparticles (NPs). These ferrofluid composites were prepared via sonochemical method, for the first time, for hyperthermia purposes. It is the first time to use spectrophotometric technique successfully to identify and accurately determined Fe (II) and Fe (III) species in their nano-composites without interference; which was failed in both EDX and XRF. The data obtained by spectrophotometric, EDX and XRF analyses also confirm total iron in their structure ratios. The successful spectrophotometric identification of exact Fe (II)/Fe (III) ratio helps to understand exactly the hetero-system xFe₂O₃/(1 − x) Fe₃O₄, (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0), nanocomposites of hyperthermia power; which can be used in cancer therapy.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: Spectral analyses; EDX; XRF; Hematite/magnetite nanocomposites.