Superparamagnetic Fe3O4/Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) Nanocomposites Synthesized in Inverse Miniemulsions: Magnetic and Particle Properties

In the present study, superparamagnetic Fe3O4/poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) nanocomposites were synthesized by one-step inverse miniemulsion copolymerization of N-isopropyl acrylamide and N,N'-methylene diacrylamide. The loading of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the nanocomposites was 27 wt%, and the saturation moment of the nanocomposites was 12.4 emu · g−1. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared through a coprecipitation method. The amount of stabilizer (poly(acrylic acid)) significantly influenced the size and size distribution of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and, therefore, their magnetic properties. Superparamagnetism of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles was preserved in the nanocomposites. The effects of synthetic parameters on the particle properties, namely surfactant loading, concentration of ferrofluid, type of lipophobe and initiator, and amount of cross-linker were investigated. Nanocomposites of Fe3O4/poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) displayed a guava-like morphology, which they could retain after being redispersed in polar solvents.