Quasi-Hexagonal Ordered Arrays of FePt Nanoparticles Prepared by a Micellar Method

Hexagonally ordered arrays of magnetic FePt nanoparticles on Si substrates are prepared by a self assembly of diblock copolymer PS-b-P2VP in toluene, a dip coating process and finally plasma treatment. The as-treated FePt nanoparticles are covered by an oxide layer that can be removed by a 40 s Ar＋ sputtering. The effects of the sequence of adding salts on the composition distribution are revealed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. No particle agglomeration is observed after 600℃annealing for the present ordered array of FePt nanoparticles, which exhibits advantages in patterning FePt nanoparticles by a micellar method. Moreover, magnetic properties of the annealed FePt nanoparticles at room temperature are investigated by a vibrating sample magnetometer.     

Investigation of particle formation and superstructure development in FePt nanoparticles and their effect on magnetic properties

FePt nanoparticles with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy embedded in non-magnetic matrices M (M=Ag, C) have been fabricated by sputtering FePt/M multilayer films onto single crystal MgO [0 0 1] at temperatures above 300 °C. Particles with controlled particle size down to a few nanometers and tailored microstructure and magnetic properties can be obtained by varying the bilayer thicknesses, the substrate temperature, the type of substrate material and the post-annealing conditions. Ordered FePt nanoparticles have also been prepared directly by gas phase condensation techniques (cluster gun).The cluster gun allows a better control of particle size and distribution, and enables an in situ heat treatment of the particles to transform their structure into the desired phase before they are deposited onto the substrate, thus avoiding the undesirable effects of alloying and oxidation.     

Fabrication of L10 FePtAg nanoparticles and a study of the effect of Ag during the annealing process

L1₀ ferromagnetic phase FePt nanoparticles containing Ag atoms (FePtAg) were synthesized by means of a liquid phase process, followed by annealing. The addition of Ag to FePt nanoparticles permits annealing to be conducted at a lower temperature (350 °C). This is further accompanied by a subsequent transformation in the crystal phase from the FCC superparamagnetic phase to the FCT (L1₀) ferromagnetic phase. The effects of annealing temperature and the Ag atoms inside the nanoparticles on the magnetic properties of the FePt nanoparticles have been studied. Using electron spectroscopy for the chemical analysis (ESCA), Ag atoms in the L1₀ phase FePtAg nanoparticles were found to be localized on the surface region of the annealed nanoparticles. The Ag atoms function to inhibit the oxidation of FePt, causing the particles to become more stable and to have ferromagnetic properties.     

Preparation of magnetic nanoparticles by pulsed plasma chemical vapor synthesis

FePt nanoparticle is expected as a candidate for the magnetic material of the high density recording media. We attempted to synthesize FePt alloy nanoparticles using 13.56 MHz glow discharge plasma with the pulse operation of a square-wave on/off cycle of plasma discharge to control the size of nanoparticles. Vapors of metal organics, Biscyclopentadienyl iron (ferrocene) for Fe and (Methylcyclopentadienyl) trimethyl platinum for Pt, were introduced into the capacitively coupled flow-through plasma chamber, which consisted of shower head RF electrode and grounded mesh electrode. Synthesis experiments were conducted at room temperature under the conditions of pressure 0.27 Pa, source gas concentration 0.005 Pa, gas residence time 0.5 s and plasma powers 60 watts. Pulse width for plasma duration was chosen from 0.5 to 30 s and plasma off period was 4 s to each pulse operation. Visual observations during the particle growth showed plasma emission in the bulk region was increased with the particle growth. These were theoretically explained by using the model for both transient particle charging in the plasma and single particle behavior in the stationary plasma as well as assuming the similarity between the negative charged particle and negative gas containing plasma. Synthesized nanoparticles were directly collected onto TEM grid, which was placed just below the grounded mesh electrode in the plasma reactor downstream. TEM pictures showed two kinds of particles in size, one of which was nanometer size and isolated with crystal structures and the other appeared agglomerate of nanometer size particles. The size of agglomerated particle was controlled in the 10–120 nm range by varying the plasma-on time from 0.5 to 30 s, although the nanometer size particles did not change. The composition of FePt alloy particles could be altered by adjusting the source gas feed ratio. Also magnetization of FePt nanoparticles was measured by use of SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magnetometry measurements. As-synthesized FePt nanoparticles did not exhibit loop-shape characteristic, which indicated superpamagnetic property. Annealed nanoparticles with the composition of Fe₅₈Pt₄₂ at 650°C in atmospheric hydrogen showed clear hysterisis loop with the coercivity as large as 10 KOe.     

Magnetic and structural characterizations on nanoparticles of FePt,FeRh and their composites

The various compositions of FePt and FeRh nanoparticles, and their composite particles have been fabricated by the solution-phase chemical method and their magnetic properties characterized. High-resolution transmission electron microscopic observations indicate that mono-dispersed FeRh and FePt/FeRh nanoparticles are fabricated with the average size of 3–5 nm. However, larger size particles are distributed in the annealed state. From X-ray diffraction results, the as-deposited FeRh nanoparticles reveal a chemically disordered fcc structure which can be transformed into CsCl-type structure through thermal annealing. Similarly, the annealed FePt nanoparticles show the L1₀-phase fct structure although the fcc structure is apparent in the as-deposited state. It is also found that the first time in the exchange bias effect in the composite of ferromagnetic (FePt) and anti-ferromagnetic (FeRh) nanoparticles; result in a shift of the hysteresis loop after field cooling process.     

Size Tunable Synthesis of Highly Crystalline BaTiO3 Nanoparticles using Salt-Assisted Spray Pyrolysis

Highly crystalline, dense BaTiO₃ nanoparticles in a size range from 30 to 360nm with a narrow size distribution (_g = 1.2–1.4) were prepared at various synthesis temperatures using a salt-assisted spray pyrolysis (SASP) method without the need for post-annealing. The effect of synthesis temperature on particle size, crystallinity and surface morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning/transmission electron microscopy. The nature of the crystalline structure was analyzed by Rietveld refinement and Raman spectroscopy. The particle size decreased with decreasing operation temperature. The crystal phase was transformed from tetragonal to cubic at a particles size of about 50nm at room temperature. SASP can be used to produce high weight fraction of tetragonal BaTiO₃ nanoparticles down to 64nm in a single step.     

Injection of synthesized FePt nanoparticles in hole-patterns for bit patterned media

FePt nanoparticles of uniform sizes, compositions, and crystal structures can be obtained by chemical synthesis. Additionally, the nanoparticles can be well dispersed by the adsorption of a surfactant on the nanoparticle surface. Previously, the immobilization of FePt nanoparticles on a thermal oxide Si substrate was carried out by chemical synthesis, utilizing the Pt-S bonding between the -SH functional group in (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane, MPTMS and Pt in FePt nanoparticles. However, controlling FePt nanoparticle arrays by this synthesis method was very difficult. In the present study, we attempted to control the distortion of the arrangement of FePt nanoparticles using an MPTMS layer modified with a silane coupling reaction and a geometrical structure prepared by ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). In this study, the hole-patterns used for the geometrical structure on Si(1 0 0) were 200 nm wide, 40 nm deep, and had a 500 nm pitch. The 5.6 nm FePt nanoparticles were used to coat the hole-patterns by using a picoliter pipette. An XHR-SEM image clearly revealed that the FePt nanoparticles were successfully arranged as a single layer with an average pitch of 10.0 nm by Pt-S bonding in the hole-patterns on Si(1 0 0).     

Monolayer deposition of L10 FePt nanoparticles via electrospray route

The deposition monolayers of L1₀ FePt nanoparticles via an electrospraying method and the magnetic properties of the deposited film were studied. FePt nanoparticles in a size of around 2.5 nm in diameter, prepared by a liquid process, were used as a precursor. The size of the deposited particles can be controlled up to 35 nm by controlling the sprayed droplet size that is formed by adjusting the precursor concentration and the precursor flow rate. The droplets were heated in a tubular furnace at a temperature of up to 900 °C to remove all organic compounds and to transform the FePt particles from disordered face centered cubic to an ordered FCT phase. Finally, the particles were deposited in the form of a monolayer film on a silicon substrate by electrostatic force and characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The monolayer of particles was obtained by the high charge on particles obtained during the electrospraying process. The magnetic properties of the monolayer were investigated by magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements. Coercivity up to 650 Oe for a film consisting of 35 nm L1₀ FePt nanoparticles was observed after heat treatment at a temperature of 800 °C.     

Preparation of WO3 nanoparticles and application to NO2 sensor

WO₃ nanoparticles were prepared by evaporating tungsten filament under a low pressure of oxygen gas, namely, by a gas evaporation method. The crystal structure, morphology, and NO₂ gas sensing properties of WO₃ nanoparticles deposited under various oxygen pressures and annealed at different temperatures were investigated. The particles obtained were identified as monoclinic WO₃. The particle size increased with increasing oxygen pressure and with increasing annealing temperature. The sensitivity increased with decreasing particle size, irrespective of the oxygen pressure during deposition and annealing temperature. The highest sensitivity of 4700 to NO₂ at 1 ppm observed in this study was measured at a relatively low operating temperature of 50 °C; this sensitivity was observed for a sensor made of particles as small as 36 nm.     

Decoration of carbon nanotube with size-controlled L10-FePt nanoparticles for storage media

In this work, first multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with outer diameter about 20–30 nm are synthesized by a CVD method; they have been purified and functionalized with a two-step process. The approach consists of thermal oxidation and subsequent chemical oxidation. Then, monosize FePt nanoparticles along carbon nanotubes surface are synthesized by a Polyol process. The synthesized FePt nanoparticles are about 2.5 nm in size and they have superparamagnetic behavior with fcc structure. The CNTs surfaces as a substrate prevent the coalescence of particles during thermal annealing. Annealing at the temperature higher than 600 ^°C for 2 h under a reducing atmosphere (90 % Ar + 10 % H₂) leads to phase transition from fcc to fct-L1₀ structure. So, the magnetic behavior changes from the superparamagnetic to the ferromagnetic. Furthermore, after the phase transition, the FePt nanoparticles have finite size with an average of about 3.5 nm and the coercivity of particles reaches 5.1 kOe.     

Effect of hexane on magnetic blocking behavior of FePt nanoparticles

In this work effect of the carrier fluid, hexane, on the magnetic properties of 4.7 nm sized FePt nanoparticles is investigated. Nanoparticles are synthesized by chemical method. Structural and magnetic characterizations confirmed that samples are monodispersed with disordered face centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure and, magnetically, exhibit two blocking behaviors; the first is at 27 K and second at 110 K. Carrier fluid of particles, hexane, is found to influence the blocking of 7% of the total magnetic moments in the system by freezing at low temperatures resulting in a two blocking phenomena even for nanoparticles that are monodispersed with narrow particle size distribution.     

Langmuir-Blodgett self-assembly and electrochemical catalytic property of FePt magnetic nano-monolayer

Dispersed-well FePt nanoparticles with particle size ~5 nm have been prepared by hydrazine hydrate reduction of H₂PtCl₆·6H₂O and FeCl₂·4H₂O in ethanol–water system. By employing as-synthesized FePt nanoparticles, the monolayer can be formed by LB Technique. The structural, magnetic properties and electrochemical properties of FePt monolayer were respectively studied by XRD, TEM, VSM and CHI 820 electrochemical workstation. The as-synthesized particle has a chemically disordered fcc structure and can be transformed into chemically ordered fct structure after annealing treatment above 400°C. The coercivity of ordered fct FePt phase can be up to 2515Oe. CVs of 0.5 M H₂SO₄/0.5M CH₃OH on GCE modified with FePt nanoparticles monolayer films illustrate that the as-synthesized FePt is a kind of active electrochemical catalyst.     

Fabrication of magnetic composite nanofibers of poly(ε-caprolactone) with FePt nanoparticles by coaxial electrospinning

In this article, composite nanofibers of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with iron–platinum (FePt) nanoparticles were successfully fabricated via coaxial electrospinning. The structure and morphology of FePt/PCL composite nanofibers were observed using transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope, respectively. The magnetic behavior of FePt/PCL composite nanofibers was investigated by alternating gradient magnetometer at room temperature.     

Nanoparticle composites: FePt with wide-band-gap semiconductor

We present a simple way to synthesize FePt and ZnO (wide-band-gap semiconductor) nanoparticle composites. The FePt nanoparticles were fabricated using the method reported by Sun et al. By controlling the heating rate, 3 nm FePt nanoparticles were synthesized. Well-dispersed FePt and ZnO nanoparticle composites were prepared by further adding zinc acetate and oleyl amine into the 3 nm FePt nanoparticle dispersion. By controlling the molar ratio of the FePt and zinc acetate, FePt and ZnO nanoparticle composites with different FePt particle fractions were obtained. The intensity of photo luminescence spectra of the nanoparticle composites increases very much with decreasing FePt particle fraction, whereas the peak position shifts a little. After annealing at 550 °C for half an hour, the nanoparticle composites become magnetically hard or semi-hard with coercivity much dependent on the FePt particle volume fraction. The coercivity of the composites increases with annealing temperature. The composites hold the promise of applications in new generation recording and/or optical devices.     

Thermal treatment effects in the self-assembly of FePt nanoparticle arrays

This work concentrates on the influence of synthetic mechanisms of FePt nanoparticles on their self-arrangement and some structural and magnetic properties as studied by means of different electron microscopy techniques and SQUID magnetometry. High-reflux points associated with long boiling durations seem adequate to increase the iron precursor's decomposition yield and facilitate the simultaneous cubic to tetragonal FePt transformation, in single-phase FePt nanoparticles. Nevertheless, such conditions also result in the loss of long-range arrangement and in the appearance of coalescence effects. A core–shell structure comprising of FePt and Fe₃O₄ is favored under mild thermal conditions during synthesis, which seems to confront the undesirable atomic diffusion. Additionally, particle isolation due to the surfactant coating leads in an hcp-symmetry self-assembly. Moreover, working at lower temperatures allows a homogeneous mixture between different phases producing binary composite arrays.     

气相合成SnO2超微粒薄膜研究

用直流气体放电活化反应蒸发法在玻璃基片上沉积的SnO2超微粒薄膜,研究其过程中各工艺参数对薄膜结构的影响及作用机理,结果表明,SnO2超微粒薄膜粒径随氧分压增加而增大;蒸镀时间的延长有助于SnO2的生成,也使薄膜发生晶化;而增加放电电压,则薄膜出现外延单晶生长趋势。     

Control of morphology and dopant distribution in yttrium-doped ceria nanoparticles

The morphology and distribution of dopant in yttrium-doped ceria (YDC) nanoparticles prepared by spray pyrolysis were characterised by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS), respectively. By combining the XEDS analysis and concentration distribution modelling, accurate yttrium dopant concentration variation from the particle center to the surface can be determined. It is shown that by appropriately selecting cerium precursors, the yttrium dopant distribution in YDC nanoparticles can be controlled. Uniform yttrium distribution in the YDC particles has been achieved, which is important to decrease probability of yttrium cluster segregation to improve oxygen ion conductivity in solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes. This control is based on the suggested mechanism of dopant distribution which proposes that hydration energies influence diffusion rates of the precursors during preparation process. In addition, the morphology (solid spherical, hollow spherical and hollow concave) formation mechanisms of the YDC particles from different cerium precursors are discussed.     

Prussian blue modified FePt nanoparticles for the electrochemical reduction of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

FePt nanoparticles were synthesized by polyol process with chloride salts, and the equiatomic composition was surface modified with prussian blue (PB). From the magnetic studies, the fraction of PB present in the surface-modified fcc-FePt was found to be 18 %. The FePt nanoparticles with an average particle size of 5 nm forms cluster like morphology, which were embedded in the PB matrix. The electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) by the PB-modified FePt nanoparticles was studied. The reduction peak current showed linear response for H₂O₂ in the concentration range up to 3.5 mM. The FePt nanoparticles did not exhibit significant H₂O₂ reduction whereas the PB-modified FePt showed reduction of H₂O₂ with the addition of 0.35 mM of H₂O₂.     

垂直取向FePt/Ag纳米颗粒薄膜的结构和磁性

用磁控溅射法在单晶MgO(100)基片上制备了［FePt 2 nm/Ag dnm］₁₀多层膜， 经真空热处理后，得到具有高矫顽力的垂直取向L1₀-FePt/Ag颗粒膜.x射线衍射结 果表明，在250 ℃的热基片上溅射，当Ag层厚度d=3—11 nm时，FePt颗粒具有很好的［001］取向，随着Ag层厚度的增加，FePt颗粒尺寸减小.［FePt 2 nm/Ag 9 nm］₁₀经过6 00 ℃真空热处理15 min后，颗粒大小仅约8 nm，垂直矫顽力达到692 kA/m.这种无磁耦合作用的颗粒膜，适合用作超高密度的垂直磁记录介质. 关键词： 磁控溅射 垂直磁记录 纳米颗粒膜 0-FePt/Ag')" href="#">L1₀-FePt/Ag     

Fabrication and surface transformation of FePt nanoparticle monolayer

The monolayer of FePt nanoparticles with the mean size of ∼4 nm was fabricated on a glass substrate by the Langmuir––Blodgett (LB) technology. The monolayer of FePt nanoparticles has a smooth surface and a high density structure as shown by the AFM image. The array structure of FePt nanoparticles on the surface of the film is clearly with a cubic symmetry in appropriate condition. Small-angle X-ray diffraction (SXRD) measurement of multilayer structure for the FePt nanoparticles has indicated that the superlattices consist of well-defined smooth layers. The transfer of nanoparticle layers onto a solid substrate surface was quite efficient for the first few layers, exhibiting a proportional increase of optical absorption in the UV–vis range. This results potentially opens up a new approach to the long-range ordered array of FePt nanoparticles capped by organic molecules on substrate and provide a promising thin film, which may exhibit the excellent ultra-high density magnetic recording properties.