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PhD Student: Karen Mejia Carmona

Directors: ICREA Prof. Victor F. Puntes and Dr Neus Gómez Bastús, Group Leader and Research Scientist, respectively, at the Inorganic Nanoparticles Group, ICN2

Short Abstract: Synthesizing magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) via co-precipitation under ambient conditions is challenging due to rapid nucleation and quick precursor depletion, hindering significant nanoparticle’s growth. Herein, we describe an aqueous coprecipitation method for synthesizing magnetic iron Oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) with controlled size in the presence of Ce³⁺ cations and sodium citrate. By adjusting the concentration of Ce³⁺ cations in the reaction mixture, we achieved controlled growth and tune the size of the magnetic IONPs. The presence of Ln cations facilitates crystal growth by passivating the crystal surface and reducing surface energy. The versatility of this synthetic procedure was demonstrated by expanding its use with other lanthanide ions, thereby demonstrating its capability to obtain similar IONPs and its potential for a wide range of applications.