Facile fabrication of core–shell structured magnetic Fe3O4/cross-linked polyphosphazene nanocomposite particles with high stability

Abstract

We herein report a facile approach to the fabrication of core–shell structured magnetic Fe3O4/poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol) nanocomposite particles via precipitation polymerization of comonomers hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and 4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol in the presence of Fe3O4 nanopaticles. The morphology, composition, thermal property, and magnetic property of the magnetic nanocomposite particles were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectra, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometer, respectively. Results indicated that the submicron-sized magnetic nanocomposite particles own core/shell structures, 410 °C of initial decomposition temperature under an air atmosphere, and 6.2 emu/g of saturation magnetization, which should make them have potential applications in biotechnology and catalyst supports. Furthermore, we also proposed a possible formation mechanism of these magnetic Fe3O4/PZS nanocomposite particles.