Fabrication and Characterization of Iron Oxide Filled Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone Nanocomposites

The present work describes the synthesis and properties of nanomagnetic polymer composites (MPCs) comprising iron oxide nanoparticles as a filler and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as polymer shell. The iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized under alkaline medium using iron (II) salt. The nanocomposites were synthesized through free radical polymerization under microwave (MW) irradiation. X-ray diffraction reveals the uniform dispersion of iron oxide nanoparticles into polymer matrix. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy images ensure the development of polymer shell around the nanomagnetic core. The magnetic behaviour of MPCs was studied through vibration sample magnetometry. The thermal durability of MPCs was assessed through simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis-differential thermogravimetry. With MW power ranging 25 to 100 W, the polymerization reactions were progressed resulting in MPCs with improved yield over neat PVP.