Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) coated iron nanoparticles which show well-defined core–shell structures have been successfully synthesized in a polar aprotic solvent. In this approach, PVP was employed not as capping agent, but as coating polymer directly applied to the metallic
(iron) core nanoparticles. The morphologies, structures, compositions and magnetic properties of the products were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), SQUID magnetometry and FTIR spectroscopy.