Binary iron–carbon nanoparticle synthesis in photolysis of Fe(CO)₅ with methane and acetylene

The experimental investigation of iron-carbon nanoparticles synthesis by joint laser photolysis of iron pentacarbonyl in the mixture with methane or acetylene has been carried out. The radiation source used for photo-dissociation of precursors was a pulsed Nd:Yag laser operated at a wavelength of 266 nm. Under uv radiation the molecules of Fe(CO)₅ decomposed, forming atomic iron vapor and unsaturated carbonyls at well-known and readily controllable parameters. The subsequent condensation of supersaturated metal vapor resulted in small iron clusters and nanoparticles formation. It was assumed that the active catalytic surface of metal nanoparticles could activate the hydrocarbon molecules up to carbon layer formation on their surface. The growth process of the nanoparticles was observed by a method of laser light extinction. Additionally nanoparticle samples were investigated by a transmission electron microscope. The particle sizes were measured by microphotographs treatment. The sizes of synthesized particles from methane-iron-pentacarbonyl mixture were found to be in a range of 4-16 nm with a count median diameter of 8.9 nm and standard deviation of 1.13. These particles consisted of iron oxide without any carbon content. The particles formed in photolysis of acetylene-iron-pentacarbonyl mixture had the sizes of 3-7 nm with count median diameter of 4 nm and standard deviation of 1.28 and contained the essential amount of carbon. The iron cores were surrounded with a carbon shell.