title: Iron nanoparticle growth in organic superstructures.
abstract: A tunable synthesis of iron nanoparticles (NPs) based on the decomposition of {Fe[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2)}(2) in the presence of organic superstructures composed of palmitic acid and hexadecylamine is reported. Control of the size (from 1.5 to 27 nm) and shape (spheres, cubes, or stars) of the NPs has been achieved. An environment-dependent growth model is proposed on the basis of results obtained for the NP morphology under various conditions and a complete Mossbauer study of the colloid composition at different reacting stages. It involves (i) an anisotropic growth process inside organic superstructures, leading to monocrystalline cubic NPs, and (ii) isotropic growth outside these superstructures, yielding polycrystalline spherical NPs.
authors.affiliation: Universite de Toulouse, INSA, UPS, LPCNO, 135 avenue de Rangueil, F-31077 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Lise-Marie
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lachaize
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falqui
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Respaud
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chaudret