First principles study of small cobalt clusters encapsulated in C60 and C82 spherical nanocages

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the small Co_n clusters (n = 2-7) endohedrally doped in C₆₀ (Ih) and C₈₂ (C2v) fullerenes were investigated using ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory. It is found that the encapsulated Co_n clusters inside C₆₀ and C₈₂ cages are energetically favorable except for Co₇@C₆₀. The encapsulation does not change significantly the structure of the enclosed clusters, but the magnetic moment of the clusters reduces due to a stronger Co-C hybridization for the larger clusters.     

C72,La2@C72几何结构和电子性质的计算研究

采用密度泛涵理论(density functional theory, DFT)中的广义梯度近似(generally gradient approximation, GGA)对富勒烯C₇₂和内掺金属La富勒烯La₂@C₇₂三种同分异构体的几何结构和电子结构进行研究.发现在C₇₂的三种同分异构体中，满足独立五边形规则(isolated-pentagon-rule，IPR)的C₇₂(D_{6d< 关键词： 72}')" href="#">C₇₂ 2@C₇₂')" href="#">La₂@C₇₂ 密度泛涵理论 几何结构 电子结构     

The stability, frontier orbitals, bond character, and static linear polarizability of the fluorinated fullerene H20@C80F60

This paper uses the density functional theory under generalised gradient approximation to analyse the stability,frontier orbitals,bond character,and static linear polarizability of H20@C80F60,which has not been isolated,as well as those of the synthesised H 20 @C 80 H 60.The H20@C80F60 should be considerably stable by analysing its energy and aromaticity.The inside H and outside X will play different role in the chemical reaction involving H 20 @C 80 X 60(X=H and F).The covalence of C-H bond is in the order that the inside C-H bond of H20@C80F60 > the inside C-H bond of H 20 @C 80 H 60 > the outside C-H bond of H 20 @C 80 H 60,whereas the C-F bond of H20@C80F60 have both the covalent and ionic characters.The static linear polarizabilities of C 80 and H 20 @C 80 X 60(X=H and F) are all isotropic.     

C80H80几何结构和电子性质的密度泛函研究

采用密度泛函理论方法中的广义梯度近似,对C₈₀H₈₀几何结构和电子性质进行了研究. 几何结构研究表明:在C₈₀H₈₀可能稳定存在的两种同分异构体中, 连接12个五边形的20个C原子内部氢化,其余60个C原子外部氢化所形成的结构即 H₂₀@C₈₀H₆₀最稳定,其仍然保持I_h对称性. 通过对H₂₀@C₈₀H₆₀的能级、前线轨道和态密度分析可知: 在H₂₀@C₈₀H₆₀中, H原子的原子轨道与C原子的原子轨道之间在占据态轨道上有较强的杂化, H原子对H₂₀@C₈₀H₆₀的占据态轨道的贡献比较大. 其最高占据轨道主要由外部H原子和碳笼来贡献,而最低未占据轨道主要由内部H原子贡献, 表明内外H原子在H₂₀@C₈₀H₆₀的化学反应中承担不同的角色. H₂₀@C₈₀H₆₀为闭壳层结构,所有电子都是配对的,表现为非磁性.     

Formation of Sim and SimCn clusters by C60 sputtering of Si

The secondary ion mass spectrum of silicon sputtered by high energy C₆₀⁺ ions in sputter equilibrium is found to be dominated by Si clusters and we report the relative yields of Si_m⁺ (1 ≤ m ≤ 15) and various Si_mC_n⁺ clusters (1 ≤ m ≤ 11 for n = 1; 1 ≤ m ≤ 6 for n = 2; 1 ≤ m ≤ 4 for n = 3). The yields of Si_m⁺ clusters up to Si₇⁺ are significant (between 0.1 and 0.6 of the Si⁺ yield) with even numbered clusters Si₄⁺ and Si₆⁺ having the highest probability of formation. The abundances of cluster ions between Si₈⁺ and Si₁₁⁺ are still significant (>1% relative to Si⁺) but drop by a factor of ∼100 between Si₁₁⁺ and Si₁₃⁺. The probability of formation of clusters Si₁₃⁺-Si₁₅⁺ is approximately constant at ∼5 × 10⁻⁴ relative to Si⁺ and rising a little for Si₁₅⁺, but clusters beyond Si₁₅ are not detected (Si_m≥16⁺/Si⁺ < 1 × 10⁻⁴). The probability of formation of Si_m⁺ and Si_mC_n⁺ clusters depends only very weakly on the C₆₀⁺ primary ion energy between 13.5 keV and 37.5 keV. The behaviour of Si_m⁺ and Si_mC_n⁺ cluster ions was also investigated for impacts onto a fresh Si surface to study the effects that saturation of the surface with C₆₀⁺ in reaching sputter equilibrium may have had on the measured abundances. By comparison, there are very minor amounts of pure Si_m⁺ clusters produced during C₆₀⁺ sputtering of silica (SiO₂) and various silicate minerals. The abundances for clusters heavier than Si₂⁺ are very small compared to the case where Si is the target.The data reported here suggest that Si_m⁺ and Si_mC_n⁺ cluster abundances may be consistent in a qualitative way with theoretical modelling by others which predicts each carbon atom to bind with 3-4 Si atoms in the sample. This experimental data may now be used to improve theoretical modelling.     

Decoupled magnetic subsystems in the random mixture FepCo1-p(C5H5NO)6(ClO4)2

Specific heat data on the random mixtures Fe_pCo_1-pL₆(ClO₄)₂, where L = C₅H₅NO, are presented. The Fe and Co magnetic atoms have competing anisotropies since the pure Fe and Co compounds are known to be good examples of the simple cubic, $\text{S =}\text{1}\text{2}$, Ising and XY magnet, respectively. The experimental data show the two magnetic subsystems in the mixtures to be almost completely decoupled, which is a consequence of the fact that the crystal field anisotropies of the Fe²⁺ and Co²⁺ ions, yielding g_∥ ? g_⊥ and g_⊥ ? g_∥, respectively, are very strong compared to the magnetic exchange interactions. Consequently the two magnetic subsystems experience one another as nonmagnetic impurities. A model is presented which explains these results, as well as those previously found for related random mixtures, in terms of two interpenetrating percolation clusters.     

Structure and electronic properties of Hn@C20 molecule

Density functional theory has been employed to optimize the structure of endohedral doped C₂₀ fullerene. We have also investigated electronic properties. We have found that C₂₀ cage can accommodate up to 8 hydrogen atoms. Some hydrogen atoms get chemisorbed on the inner surface of C₂₀ cage and form C-H bond. Structural deformation is found to increase with increase in H-atoms. From the analysis of electronic properties, we observe that due to endohedral doping of hydrogen atoms inside C₂₀, H-atoms acquire net negative charge by accepting electrons and fullerene molecules acquire positive charge by donating electrons to H-atoms. For endohedral complexes where H₃ triangular molecule formation takes place, the nature of net charge transfer changes, i.e. fractional electronic charge is transferred from H-atoms to fullerene. C₂₀ doped with odd number of H-atoms should be more reactive compared to the even number case. Most of the present results are similar to those of endohedral C₆₀.     

Stoner excitations in the strong itinerant amorphous ferromagnets FexNi80−xB18Si2 and Fe80B20

Accurate measurements of the static magnetization of the amorphous ferromagnets Fe_xNi_80?xB₁₈Si₂ (x = 15, 20, 40, 60%) and Fe₈₀B₂₀ are reported. The results are analyzed in terms of spin-wave and Stoner excitations, and the latter indicate strong itinerant ferromagnetism with a Stoner gap Δ varying between 20 and 60 K. The other fitting parameters give values of the spin-wave stiffness and a quantity simply related to the saturation magnetization. The well-known anomaly regarding the spin-wave stiffness observed in earlier measurements in thus explained quantitatively.     

The electronic structure and properties of Fe6(N1−xCx)2 carbonitrides by first-principles calculations

Electronic structure and properties of Fe₆(N_1−xC_x)₂ carbonitrides with 0≤x≤1, i.e. the concentrations of N and C elements are respectively in range of 0∼7.69 wt% and 0∼6.67 wt%, have been studied by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) implemented in the Cambridge Serial Total Energy Package (CASTEP) code. The calculated results show that the Fe₆(N_1−xC_x)₂ carbonitrides are thermodynamically and mechanically stable. Lattice parameters and stability of the carbonitrides increase when C atoms replace N atoms in Fe₆N₂ unit cell. In Fe₆(N_1−xC_x)₂ unit cell, the hybridization effect between C-2p and Fe-3d states is stronger than that between N-2p and Fe-3d states. Elastic properties and melting points of the carbonitrides change slightly with the substitution of C atoms for N atoms in Fe₆(N_1−xC_x)₂ carbonitrides.     

Study of the [(Co45Fe45Zr10)x(Al2O3)100−x/a-Si:H]m multilayer nanostructure by polarized neutron reflectometry

Polarized neutron reflectometry was used to investigate the amorphous multilayer nanostructures [(Co₄₅Fe₄₅Zr₁₀)_x(Al₂O₃)_100−x/a-Si:H]_m, whose magnetic properties are dependent on the concentration of the magnetic constituent (x=34, 47 and 60 at%) as well as on the thicknesses of the metal-dielectric (Co₄₅Fe₄₅Zr₁₀)_x(Al₂O₃)_100−x and semiconductor a-Si:H layers. The average magnetization of the individual magnetic layer is found to be inhomogeneous with the magnetically active central part and two magnetically dead parts at the interfaces.     

Magnetic structures in the Ca2Fe2−xAlxO5 system-II

Recent structure analyses of crystals with different compositions in the Ca₂Fe_2?xAl_xO₅ system have led to a reinterpretation of the magnetic ‘phase diagram’ of this system. In the composition range 0 ? x ? 1, there are at least three and possibly four different magnetic structures. At room temperature, and between x = 0·00 and x less than but near 0·60 (the exact boundary is not known), the magnetic structure belongs to magnetic space group Pcm′n′; in a narrower range, approximately 0·57 ? x ? 0·65, the magnetic space group is I_pb′m′2; for x greater than about 0·80, the magnetic space group is I_pbm′2′. There is a substantial region of x and T (at room temperature 0·65 ? x ? 0·80), for which our experimental results cannot distinguish between two possibilities: either both the I_pb′m′2 and I_pbm′2′ structures coexist with spin-flipping as x or T changes or there is a continuous rotation of the spins with changing x or T. In the latter case, the most probable single magnetic space group in this region is C_pm′; with increasing x or T the transitions occur by way of I_pb′m′2 → C_pm′ → I_pbm′2′.     

The density functional study of the stabilities,bond characters,static linear polarisabilities,and aromaticities of the ’in-out’ isomerism Hn-60@CnH60（n=70,72,74）

This paper uses the density functional theory to analyse the stabilities,bond characters,static linear polarisabilities,and aromaticities of the ’in-out’ isomerism H n-60 @C n H 60 (n=70,72,74).The binding energies,C-H bond energies,and energy gaps explore that the ’in-out’ isometric perhydrogenation of C n (n=70,72,74) can remarkably improve the stabilities.The static linear polarisabilies of H n-60 @C n H 60 (n=70,72,74) are indeed relative to their shapes,while they show almost nonaromatic character.This study can suggest that the ’in-out’ isometric perhydrogenation of fullerenes could lead to the invention of entirely novel potential hydrogen storage nanomaterials.     

Phase separation, ferromagnetism and magnetic irreversibility in La1−xSrxMn1−yFeyO3

Magnetic susceptibility, χ(T), is investigated in ceramic La_1−xSr_xMn_1−yFe_yO₃ (LSMFO) samples with x=0.3 and y=0.15−0.25. A ferromagnetic (FM) transition observed in LSMFO is accompanied with an appreciable decrease of the transition temperature with increasing y, which is connected to breaking of the FM double-exchange interaction by doping with Fe. Strong magnetic irreversibility, observed in low (B=10 G) field, gives evidence for frustration of the magnetic state of LSMFO. The FM transition, which is expanded with increasing B, is more pronounced in the samples with y=0.15-0.20 and broadens considerably at y=0.25, where the irreversibility is increased. Well above the transition, χ(T) exhibits a Curie-Weiss asymptotic behavior, yielding very large values of the effective Bohr magneton number per magnetic ion, incompatible with those of Mn or Fe single ions. At y=0.15 and 0.20 a critical behavior of χ⁻¹(T)∼(T/T_C−1)^γ in the region of the FM transition is characterized by influence of two different magnetic systems, a 3D percolative one with γ₌γ_p≈1.8 and T_C=T_C^(p), and a non-percolative 3D Heisenberg spin system, with γ=γ_H≈1.4 and T_C=T_C^(H), where T_C^(p)<T_C^(H). At y=0.25 the percolative contribution to the critical behavior of χ(T) is not observed. The dependence of χ on T and y gives evidence for phase separation, with onset already near the room temperature, leading to generation of nanosize FM particles in the paramagnetic host matrix of LSMFO. The ferromagnetism of LSMFO is attributable to percolation over the system of such particles and generation of large FM clusters, whereas the frustration is governed presumably by a system of smaller weakly-correlated magnetic units, which do not enter the percolative FM clusters.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of Au-coated amorphous Fe20Ni80 nanoparticles

Gold-coated nanoparticles of Fe₂₀Ni₈₀ (permalloy) have been synthesized by a microemulsion process. The as-prepared samples consist of ∼5 nm diameter particles of amorphous Fe₂₀Ni₈₀ that are likely encapsulated in B₂O₃. One or more Fe₂₀Ni₈₀@B₂O₃ particles are subsequently encapsulated in 8-20 nm gold nanospheres, as determined by TEM and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) line broadening. The gold shells were found to be under expansive strain. Magnetic data confirm the existence of a superparamagnetic phase with a blocking temperature, T_B, of ∼33 K. The saturation magnetization, M_S, of the as-prepared, Au-coated sample is ∼65 emu g⁻¹ at 5 K and ∼16 emu g⁻¹ at 300 K. The coercivity, H_C, is ∼280 Oe at 5 K.     

Structures, stabilities and electronic properties of FePbn (n=1-14) clusters: Density-functional theory investigations

The structures, stabilities and electronic properties of FePb_n (n=1-14) clusters have been studied using the density-functional theory (DFT). Extensive search of the ground-state structures has been carried out by considering a larger number of structural isomers for each cluster size. The Fe atom gradually falls into the interior of the Pb framework as the number of Pb atom increases from 1 to 14. The FePb_n clusters at n=3, 5, 10, 12 have relatively higher stability by analyzing the averaged binding energy and the second-order energy difference. Especially, FePb₁₂ is more stable, owing to its highest symmetrical icosahedron structure. The magnetic moments of FePb_n clusters do not quench when Fe atom is encapsulated in the Pb framework and mostly originate from 3d state of Fe atom.     

Critical behaviour and magnetic properties of A-B spinel ZnxCu1−xFe2O4

Polycrystalline Zn_0.6Cu_0.4Fe₂O₄ ferrites have been prepared using a solid-state reaction technique. Their structural and magnetic properties have been studied, using X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer and magnetic measurements. These results have been compared to a more general theoretical study, on Zn_xCu_1−xFe₂O₄, based on mean field theory and high-temperature series expansions (HTSE), and extrapolated with the Padé approximant method. The nearest neighbour super-exchange interactions for the intra-site and the inter-site of Zn_xCu_1−xFe₂O₄ spinel ferrites, in the range 0≤x≤1, have been computed using the probability approach, based on Mössbauer data. The Curie temperature T_C is calculated as a function of Zn concentration. The theoretical results obtained are in good agreement with the experimental results obtained by magnetic measurements.     

X-ray diffraction and magnetic susceptibility of sodium fullerides NaxC60

The X-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetic susceptibility and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements have been carried out for Na_xC₆₀. The XRD profiles with x<4 can be assigned to a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice, while those with 4≦x to a hexagonal one. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility χ for Na_xC₆₀ using SQUID was fitted to the Curie law, and estimated temperature-independent component χ₀. The composition x dependence of the χ₀ for Na_xC₆₀ shows two maxima at around x=3 and x=10, and minimum at x=6. The absence of Pauli contribution at x=6 was confirmed using ESR. A trace of superconducting transition at 14 K has been found for some Na_xC₆₀ specimens with 8<x<9.     

Lanthanum deficiency effect in magnetic transition and transport property of La0.8−δCa0.2MnO3

The evolution of magnetic and electrical phases in La_0.8−δCa_0.2MnO₃ was investigated in terms of La deficiency. We found that the increase of the La deficiency tends to raise the Curie temperature (T_C) in La_0.8−δCa_0.2MnO₃. The FM clusters formed in compounds with large La deficiency provide percolation paths above T_C. With increasing the La defect, the transport property changes from insulating to metallic state, which is in association with the crossover from a second order to a first order magnetic phase transition in the vicinity of T_C.     

Simultaneous enhancements of Curie temperature and magnetocaloric effects in the La1−xCexFe11.5Si1.5Cy compounds

The effects of introducing Ce and C atoms on the Curie temperature (T_C), the magnetic entropy change (ΔS_M) and the hysteresis loss have been investigated in the NaZn₁₃-type LaFe_11.5Si_1.5 compound. Partial replacement of La with Ce leads to a decrease in T_C and an increase in ΔS_M; however, the introduction of interstitial C atoms can adjust T_C to high temperature. The itinerant-electron metamagnetic transition is weakened after carbonization, which results in a reduction of both the hysteresis loss and magnetocaloric effect (MCE). The maximum value of ΔS_M for La_0.8Ce_0.2Fe_11.5Si_1.5C_0.2 is found to be −28 J/kg K at T_C=207 K with an effective refrigeration capacity of 420 J/kg for a field change from 0 to 5 T. Our study reveals that the enhancements of both T_C and MCEs can be achieved simultaneously in the La_1−xCe_xFe_11.5Si_1.5C_y compounds by adjusting the concentrations of Ce and C atoms appropriately.     

High magnetostriction at low fields of (Tb1−xDyx)0.2Pr0.8(Fe0.4Co0.6)1.88C0.05 intermetallic compounds

The structure and magnetostriction of the (Tb_1−xDy_x)_0.2Pr_0.8(Fe_0.4Co_0.6)_1.88C_0.05 intermetallic compounds (0≤x≤1) were studied by X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements. The formation of an approximate single Laves phase with a MgCu2-type cubic structure was observed in this series of compounds. It was found that the Curie temperature and the saturation magnetization of the compounds would decrease with increase in the Dy content up to x=1. The magnetostriction λ_a (λ_a=λ_‖-λ_⊥) gently rises when x≤0.6, and follows with a precipitous fall when x exceeds 0.6, with the highest value of λ_a being reached in the compounds with x=0.6. The magnetostriction of all the samples was observed to approach their own saturation in the magnetic fields higher than 4 kOe. This indicates that the addition of a small amount of Dy could effectively improve the low-field magnetostriction of the Tb_0.2Pr_0.8(Fe_0.4Co_0.6)_1.88C_0.05 compounds, which could become a kind of promising magnetostrictive material.