Monodisperse Magnetizable Composite Silica Spheres with Tunable Dipolar Interactions

Abstract

We demonstrate that magnetic particles of maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) and cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) can be irreversibly attached to colloidal silica that is grafted with 3-mercaptopropyl(trimethoxy)silane (followed by the controlled growth of a silica layer) to obtain stable dispersions of monodisperse colloidal silica spheres that contain a dense shell of ferrite particles at an adjustable distance from the sphere surface. Magnetization of the ferrite shell induces a large dipole moment, and adjusting the thickness of the outer silica layer enables one to tune the contact attraction. This novel type of magnetizable silica colloid exhibits structure formation in a homogeneous field that varies from isotropic distributions to elongated dipolar chains.