Two types of polymeric surfactants, PEG300 and PVP40000, were used for the preparation of magnetic ferrite MFe2O4(M = Mn, Fe) colloidal nanocrystals using a solvothermal reaction method. The effect of spinel type effect on the size evolution of various nanoparticles was investigated. It was found that Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibited higher crystalinity and size evolution than MnFe2O4 nanoparticles with use of the two surfactants. It is proposed that this observation is due to fewer tendencies of surfactants on the surface of Fe3O4building blocks nanoparticles than MnFe2O4 . Less amounts of surfactant or capping agent on the surface of nanoparticles lead to the higher crystalibity and larger size. It is also suggested that the type of spinel (normal or inverted spinel) plays a key role on the affinity of the polymeric surfactant on the surface of building blocks

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