Synthesis and Characterization of Magnetic Cellulose Nanocomposites

Abstract Magnetic and structural properties of cellulose decorated with magnetite nanoparticles prepared via a co-precipitation method were analyzed. All samples presented magnetisation loops coherent with a superposition of superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic contributions. This feature is attributed to the size distribution of the magnetic nanoparticles and it was observed that weak and demagnetising inter-particle interactions are present. Magnetic parameters like coercivity and remanent magnetisation, however, are mainly governed by the average particle size, and not by such interactions. X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopy were employed for structural investigation, and revealed the presence of magnetite and goethite in some samples.