Porous and dense magnetic microspheres developed via a flame-spheroidisation process

Authors

Jesús Molinar Díaz (1), Prof. Paul D Brown (1, 2), Prof. Ifty Ahmed (1)

Affiliations

1. Advanced Materials Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham
2. Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre, University of Nottingham

Keywords

Magnetic particles, porous microspheres, magnetite

Abstract text

This study describes the production of two types of magnetic microspheres: dense (35-80 µm) and highly porous (125-180 µm), created via a rapid single-stage flame-spheroidisation (FS) process. Characterisation data highlights the morphology, structure and composition of the post-processed microspheres. Thermal analysis was performed to ascertain the chemical reaction pathways towards product development, providing evidence of the transformation mechanisms involved with the starting Fe₃O₄ material and resulting in Ca₂Fe₂O₅ microspheres formation. The FS process provides a method for a rapid production of dense and porous microspheres, with homogeneous composition, high levels of interconnective porosity, size control and magnetic expression post-manufacture. The controllability of these parameters make the FS manufacture process suitable for a range of applications e.g. biomedical, environmental remediation and energy.

References

Jesús Molinar Díaz, Sabrin Abdus Samad, Elisabeth Steer, Nigel Neate, Hannah Constantin, Md Towhidul Islam, Paul D Brown and Ifty Ahmed; “Flame spheroidisation of dense and porous Ca₂Fe₂O₅ microspheres”; Materials Advances, 2020, 1, 3539-3544. DOI: 10.1039/d0ma00564a