Preparation and property characterization of PAA/Fe3O4 nanocomposite

Abstract

PAA/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites were prepared by mixing nano-Fe₃O_{4 and polyacrylic acid (PAA) ethanol solution and then evaporating the sol}vent. The materials were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), dynamic ultra-micro hardness tester (DUMHT) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results showed that PAA coordinated with nano-Fe₃O₄ to form a cross-linking structure. The presence of nano-Fe₃O₄ enhanced the thermal stability of the nanocomposite. The elasticity and hardness of the nanocomposite increased, and the indentation depth reduced with the increase of Fe₃O₄ content in the composites. The nanocomposites showed superparamagnetic properties at 300 K.