Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles have been synthesized using a chemical coprecipitation method at different nitric acid concentrations as an oxidizing agent. Characterization of all samples performed by several techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), alternating gradient magnetometry (AGM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential. The XRD patterns confirmed that the particles were maghemite. The crystallite size of all samples decreases with the increasing concentration of nitric acid. TEM observation showed that the particles have spherical morphology with narrow particle size distribution. The particles showed superparamagnetic behavior with decreased magnetization values at the increasing concentration of nitric acid. TGA measurement showed that the stability temperature decreases with the increasing concentration of nitric acid. DLS measurement showed that the hydrodynamic particle sizes decrease with the increasing concentration of nitric acid. Zeta potential values show a decrease with the increasing concentration of nitric acid. The increasing concentration of nitric acid in synthesis of maghemite nanoparticles produced smaller size particles, lower magnetization, better thermal stability, and more stable maghemite nanoparticles suspension.

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Abstract. Maghemite (γ-Fe 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles have been synthesized using a chemical co-precipitation method. The morphology and particle size is characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and magnetic characterization using Alternating Gradient Magnetometry (AGM). The stability of the maghemite nanoparticles suspension were studied at different pH and time of storage. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Zeta Potential were conducted to determine the stability of the suspensions. TEM observation showed that the particles size is 9.6 nm and have spherical morphology. The particles showed superparamagnetic behavior with saturation magnetization 25.5 emu/g. The suspensions are stable in the acidic condition at pH 4 and alkaline condition at pH 10. The suspensions remain stable after 4 weeks of storage.

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