Synthesis and Analysis of Rare-Earth Nanoparticles Gd and Nd

Magnetic nanoparticles can have enchanced magnetization and increase the density in a finite region when compared to their bulk material. This makes them ideal for applications in various fields such as biological markers in medical MRI technology and magnetic refrigeration. At Fresno State we are synthesizing and characterizing rare-earth nanoparticles Gd and Nd by the inverse micelle method. Starting by using DDAB as a surfactant, GdCl$_3$ and NdCl were added to form inverse micelle solutions. A liquid-liquid extraction process was used to extract the magnetic clusters. The energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) results show that Gd clusters less than 1 micrometer were produced. Images from the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and light microscope show spherical Gd clusters with excess DDAB and other by-products, indicating a successful reduction of GdCl$_3$. Future research will be geared towards substituting hexane for toluene and methanol for water to reduce oxygen amounts and to form Nd nanoparticles.