Iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized in microemulsion systems composed by Triton X-100/hexyl alcohol/cyclohexane/aqueous solution. The nanoparticles were synthesized in microemulsions containing different amounts of ammonium, in order to evaluate the influence of this parameter on the size of the nanoparticles and on the phase transformation after heat treatment. Powder materials were obtained after centrifugation, washing and drying, and they were analyzed as synthesized and after heating at 350, 500 and 1000 °C. It was observed that the higher amount of ammonium induced smaller particles and minor phase transformation, possibly due to a preferential nucleation process.
nanoparticle; nucleation effect; iron oxide phase transformation
