Controlled manufacturing of nanoparticles by the laser pyrolysis: Application to cementite iron carbide

The laser pyrolysis is an attractive technique for the synthesis of different nanostructures from gas-phase precursors. The characteristics of this synthesized method are here exemplified by the production of almost pure cementite Fe3C nanomaterials, obtained by the pyrolysis of methyl methacrylate and iron pentacarbonyl (vapors). Those nanopowders exhibited core (Fe3C)–shell (MMA polymer-based) morphologies and mean particle diameters of about 8–9 nm. Preliminary magnetic measurements indicate rather high values for the saturation magnetization. By irradiating the same reactive mixture with a lower intensity radiation, the chemical content of nanopowders shifts towards mixtures of iron and maghemite/magnetite iron oxides.