Synthesis, Surface Functionalization, and Characterization of MoO2(acac)2-Immobilized Magnetite Nanoparticles

Abstract

In this study, iron(II) and iron(III) salts were hydrolyzed alkalinely to create magnetite nanoparticles. Tetraethyl orthosilicate was hydrolyzed and condensed in the presence of magnetite to coat the resultant nanoparticles with a silica shell. An aminopropylsilane reagent was used to further modify the silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles in order to add functional amine groups to their surfaces. A coordination reaction was used in the last functionalization stage to immobilize a MoO2(acac)2 complex reported in the literature onto the amine-functionalized nanoparticles. Repeated water washing was used to get rid of extra chemicals. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy verified the successful immobilization of MoO2(acac)2 on the magnetite surface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine the morphological characteristics and particle size distribution of the produced nanoparticles, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) was used to assess their magnetic behavior. The successful stability of the MoO2(acac)2 complex on the surface of magnetite nanoparticles is amply demonstrated by the characterization data. © 2026 Adiyaman University. All rights reserved.