Size effect of Mössbauer parameters in iron oxide nanoparticles

The size dependence of Mössbauer parameters for iron oxide nanoparticles in the 10–25 nm range was investigated. It was shown that the isomer shift and hyperfine field parameters decrease with the nanoparticle size. Only at 25 nm the presence of magnetite was detected.     

Mössbauer study of the surface of core-shell type nanoparticles

The properties of the surface layer of core-shell nanoparticles incorporated into the matrix of macromolecules of 3,4-bis(decyloxybenzoyl) poly(propylene imine) derivative of the second generation are studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy at low temperatures. The spin states, the details of the phonon spectrum and the Debye temperature of surface layer atoms discussed.     

Mössbauer studies of magnetite nanoparticles

Magnetite Fe₃O₄ samples with different levels of dispersion (“bulk” and nanoscale particles with an average diameter of 24, 14 and 7 nm) are studied using Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is shown that this method of analysis makes it possible to obtain important information about the features of magnetic states of iron-containing nanoparticles and, more specifically, about the distinction in effective magnetic fields for iron nuclei located in different regions within them. The obtained results are fully consistent with known theoretical data and allow estimation of the thickness of the surface region of the nanoparticles.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy study of interfaces for spintronics

The submonolayer sensitivity and element-specificity of conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy, combined with the use of ⁵⁷Fe enriched tracer layers, enable to carefully investigate thin films and interfaces at the atomic-scale. This paper reports on the main achievements we obtained so far in the study of structural, chemical, and magnetic properties of a variety of interfaces between oxides and Fe-based films having potential interest in the field of spintronics.     

A Mössbauer spectroscopic study of cobalt-iron molybdates

Fe _x Co_1–x MoO₄ compounds prepared by coprecipitation were studied by XRD, electrical conductivity and mainly by absorption and emission Mössbauer spectroscopy. FeMoO₄ and CoMoO₄ samples were shown to contain Fe³⁺ and Co³⁺, respectively, in solid solution. Three kinds of Fe _x Co_1–x MoO₄ solids can be described. Forx0.16: one has a -Co(Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺)MoO₄ solid solution. For 0.17x0.25: one has the same solid solution with its surface rich in Fe³⁺. Forx0.26: one has the same solid solution with only bulk Fe³⁺, and ferric molybdate. Studies of reduction by hydrogen and of catalytic reaction of mechanical mixtures of CoMoO₄ and ferric molybdate support these statements.     

Mössbauer study of tektites

Room temperature ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy has been used to investigate the structural and oxidation state of Fe in tektites from different strewn fields. Spectra have been analyzed in terms of two quadrupole splitting distributions corresponding to Fe^3?+? and Fe^2?+?. All tektites show similar distribution of quadrupole splitting. Each distribution has one peak. The Fe^2?+? sites show a narrow region of Mössbauer line shift (δ) and quadrupole splitting (ε), δ?= 1.02–1.10 mm/s and ε?= 0.85–1.00 mm/s relative to α-Fe. These values have been assigned to intermediate coordination between tetrahedral and octahedral. The Fe^3?+? sites show wider regions of hyperfine parameters: δ?= 0.25–0.45 mm/s and ε?= 0.65–0.90 mm/s. The Fe^3?+?/Fe^2?+? ratio was found to be 0.05–0.15.     

Mössbauer characterization of surface-coated magnetic nanoparticles for applications in transformers

In this study the synthesis of very small magnetite nanoparticles is reported. Analysis of the (311) X-ray diffraction line indicates nanoparticle with 2.2 nm average diameter. The as-synthesized nanosized magnetite sample was submitted to a chemical oxidation process for conversion to maghemite. However, the yielding of the chemical oxidation process, as indicated by the analysis of the Mössbauer data, was about 20%. This finding indicates a strong size-dependence of the oxidation process, reducing the yielding of the chemical process used as the nanoparticle size reduces down to extremely low values.     

A Mössbauer spectral study of the Jilin meteorite

The iron57 Mössbauer spectra of three different samples of the Jilin meteorite have been measured at 78 and 295 K. Five iron containing major components are identified, two magnetic components, kamacite and troilite, and three nonmagnetic components, olivine, pyroxene, and an iron(III) component. The relative absorption areas of these five components show that sample A contains a larger fraction of magnetic components, ca. 50 percent, than samples B and C, which contain ca. 30 percent. This difference indicates a significant compositional inhomogeneity in the Jilin meteorite. The fit of the troilite component sextet is extensively discussed in the paper and requires the adjustment of not only the isomer shift and hyperfine field, but also of the quadrupole interaction, the asymmetry parameter of the electric field gradient tensor, and the orientation of the hyperfine field in the principal axes of the electric field gradient tensor. The smaller isomer shift and hyperfine field of the kamacite mineral in sample B indicate that this sample contains less nickel than the kamacite in samples A and C, in which the amount of nickel is estimated to be ca. 9 percent. On the basis of its hyperfine parameters, the iron(III) component is assigned to iron(III) substituted on the M1 site of pyroxene.     

Mössbauer Spectroscopy Study of Iron Nickel Alloys

Three samples of Fe_100–x Ni _x (with x=30, 35 and 40) were prepared by arc melting technique. The Mössbauer spectra of the three samples were collected and analyzed. The spectrum of the sample with x=30 consists of a singlet and a sextet. The singlet component which has isomer shift (IS=–0.08 mm/s) is attributed to a superparamagnetic phase. The value of the magnetic hyperfine field associated with the sextet component, 34.0 T, is consistent with that of -Fe–Ni alloy. In the spectra of the other samples the central line disappears. The magnetic component, used in fitting the spectrum of the sample with x=40 has a hyperfine magnetic field B _hf=30.0 T. This component is assigned to the high-spin -FCC Fe–Ni phase. Two magnetic components of 16.3 T and 27.3 T are used to fit the spectrum of the sample with x=35. The 27.3 T component is associated with the typical high-spin -FCC Fe–Ni phase while the 16.3 T component is associated with a -FCC Fe–Ni phase with magnetic relaxation.     

Mössbauer study of natural wolframites

Natural Wolframite, (Fe _x Mn_1?x )WO₄ withx=0.95 to 0.41, obtained from seven different sites of two quartz-wolframites deposits of Degana and Sirohi in Rajasthan. India, have been studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy down to 20 K. X-ray diffraction studies with a monochromatic Cu radiation (λK_a-1.5405 Å), were carried out to determine the value ofx. The Mössbauer spectra of all seven samples were recored at 300, 200, 100, 50, 40, 30 and 20 K, and were least square fitted for different sites. The Mössbauer parameters are attributed to a high spin ferrous ion in a quite distorted octahedral symmetry, and only one sextet has been resolved below transition temperature.     

Mössbauer Study of Some Iron Organo-Metallic Complexes

Mössbauer absorption spectra were obtained for ferric complexes of urea and thiourea derivatives with dibasic acids. The complexes were prepared in the two ratios 1:1 and 2:1 metal to ligand. The Mössbauer parameters were analysed inconsistent with the structural data obtained from I.R. spectra. It was found that changing the metal -ligand ratio has nearly no effect on both the isomer shift and quadrupole splitting values.     

Mössbauer study of Slovak meteorites

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used as an analytical tool in the investigation of iron containing compounds of two meteorites (Rumanová and Ko?ice) out of total of six which had fallen on Slovak territory. In the magnetic fraction of the iron bearing compounds in the Rumanová meteorite, maghemite, troilite and Fe-Ni alloy were identified. In the non-magnetic fraction silicate phases were found, such as olivine and pyroxene. The paramagnetic component containing Fe^3?+? ions corresponds probably to small superparamagnetic particles. The Ko?ice meteorite was found near the town of Ko?ice in February 2010. Its magnetic fraction consists of a Fe-Ni alloy with the Mössbauer parameters of the magnetic field corresponding to kamacite α-Fe(Ni, Co) and troilite. The non-magnetic part consists of Fe^2?+? phases such as olivine and pyroxene and traces of a Fe^3?+? phase. The main difference between these meteorites is their iron oxide content. These kinds of analyses can bring important knowledge about phases and compounds formed in extraterrestrial conditions, which have other features than their terrestrial analogues.     

Mössbauer study of Hungarian phlogopites

Ultramafic xenoliths of mantle origin occur in Hungarian Cretaceous lamprophyres. The aim of the present work was to determine the iron positions and their occupancy in phlogopites originated from ultramafic xenoliths by the help of Mössbauer spectroscopy. On the basis of the evaluation of the Mössbauer spectra Fe _M1 ²⁺ , Fe _M2 ²⁺ , Fe _M2 ³⁺ and Fe _M1 ³⁺ (or in some cases Fe_tet) octahedral and tetrahedral iron sites were identified in the samples. Quantitative analysis was performed for all of the iron sites. We have observed large differences between the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratio in samples originated from 120–150 km deepness, which phlogopites having been existed at different erosion circumstances. We have found a significantly higher Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratio in phlogopites which had been solidified in 120–150 km depth from the surface of Earth 70–100 million years ago, than those had been crystallized in 60–80 km deepness.     

Mössbauer study of Brazilian soapstone

Steatite mineral rocks, soapstone, have been studied by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopic analysis (modal analysis), electron probe micro analysis and Mössbauer spectroscopy for characterization, mineral percentages and chemical composition. Mössbauer spectra show both, magnetic interactions corresponding to magnetite and doublets corresponding to talc. chlorite, dolomite and tremolite. The temperature dependence of the quadrupole splitting in dolomite has been explained in terms of crystal field interaction.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy and proton relaxometry study of magnetite nanoparticles designed for preparing diagnostic contrast media

Mössbauer spectroscopy, proton relaxometry, and transmission electron microscopy are used to study magnetite nanoparticles designed for creating diagnostic contrast media. Superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles with a size of 5–7 nm and blocking temperature of T _b = 50 K are examined as a component of diagnostic contrast media with relaxation times T ₁ and T ₂ capable of circulating in the bloodstream for a long time. Larger ferrimagnetic nanoparticles (30–40 nm) can be concentrated in pathological tissues by applying an external magnetic field, thereby providing a means for hyperthermia.     

Carrier mobility of iron oxide nanoparticles supported on ferroelectrics studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was performed on two types of Fe oxide nanoparticles supported on a typical ferroelectric, BaTiO3. It was found that the valence state of FeO nanoparticles changed to a mixed 2+/3+ state at high temperature where BaTiO₃ shows paraelectric behaviour. We attribute this phenomenon to the fluctuation of electric dipoles which realizes carrier injection into the Fe oxides. This is the first report which discusses a dynamical valence state of transition metal oxides supported on ferroelectrics.     

Iron nano-clusters in ytterbium films: a 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic study

We have performed a Mössbauer study on iron clusters that are formed in ytterbium films prepared by vapor co-deposition onto kapton substrates kept at room temperature. The film thicknesses were chosen in a range between 2.5 and 2.8 $\upmu$ m. XRD of the films reveals a mixture of fcc- and hcp-like ytterbium. Iron concentrations were between 0.3 and 5 at %. All samples reveal hyperfine spectra attributed to only two types of iron clusters with well defined hyperfine parameters. The clusters are supposed to be formed at boundaries of hcp- and fcc-like grains. In addition there is found a small contribution from monomeric iron. Spectra taken at 4.2 K reveal a complex distribution of magnetic hyperfine fields. The dynamic origin of the spectral shape is supported by susceptibility data revealing spin-freezing at temperatures below ca. 10 K. This proves that the iron clusters have sizes on the order of nm.     

Mössbauer study of iron carbide nanoparticles produced by laser ablation in alcohols

Iron carbide nanoparticles were synthesized by laser ablation of iron in alcohols (methanol and ethanol). A new cell, designed to allow the ablation to be conducted in a flowing solvent, enabled separation and collection of the nanoparticles immediately after production, thus preventing further photochemical reactions of the colloids. The nanoparticles were investigated using Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. In methanol, they consisted of α-iron, γ-iron, iron carbide, and amorphous paramagnetic iron carbides, whereas in ethanol they consisted of iron carbides and amorphous paramagnetic iron carbides. The difference in products depending on the alcohol was attributed to the different carbon supplies for methanol and ethanol. For both solvents, the average particle size was found to be 16 nm, and the nanoparticles were dispersed in amorphous carbon. We also examined the effect of further laser irradiation of the colloids using stagnant solvent, and the particle size was found to increase and a very small amount of carbonization was observed.