Carbon-encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles (CEMNPs) have wide applications. However, synthesis of suchparticles with superparamagnetic properties is still a great challenge. The present study reports a new methodfor the production of CEMNPs in the solid state. An Fe/C solid solution was first prepared by pyrolysis ofFe(CO)
5 and C
2H
2. Heat treatment of this material at low temperatures (
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600
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C) generated fine nanoparticles(~7 nm) with superparamagnetic properties, but treatment at high temperatures (>600
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C) produced largernanoparticles (
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30 nm) exhibiting permanent magnetic behavior. The advantages of the present solid-phaseapproach over previous gas-phase methods include good controllability of particle size and thus magneticproperties and suitability for large-scale production.