Formation of Mn 3 O 4 nanoparticles from the cluster [Mn 12 O 12 (C 2 H 5 COO) 16 (H 2 O) 3 ] anchored to hybrid mesoporous silica

A new approach to the synthesis and the organization of Mn3O4 (hausmannite) nanoparticles has been developed using the thermolysis of the magnetic cluster [Mn12O12(C2H5COO)16(H2O)3] linked to a SBA-15 mesoporous silica functionalized with –COOH groups. The obtained composites were studied by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), nitrogen sorption (BET), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and magnetic measurements. These measurements reveal the presence of uniformly sized pure Mn3O4 nanoparticles inside the silica matrix. The nanoparticle size is in good correlation with the pore size of the hybrid silica used. All the data demonstrate that the anchoring of the cluster in the silica plays a crucial role in the fabrication of the nanocomposites.