Hyperfine and Magnetic Characterization of Fe Particles Hosted in Carbon Nanocapsules

Iron particles encaged in carbon nanocapsules have been produced by the Krätschmer–Huffmann carbon-arc discharge method. Soot, collarette and cathode samples have been characterized by Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. Different iron phases and iron-carbon solid solutions have been detected in our samples. The Einstein model has been used to evaluate the coupling constant between the particles and their environment, yielding values of the order 1–10 N/m. Irreversibilities observed at ZFC and FC curves for soot samples would suggest the presence of superparamagnetism only if the particles presented a blocking temperature above 300 K.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy study of iron oxide nanoparticles obtained by spray pyrolysis

Mössbauer spectroscopy was used in this study to investigate magnetite nanoparticles, obtained by spray pyrolysis and thermal treatment under H₂ reduction atmosphere. Room temperature XRD data indicate the formation of magnetite phase and a second phase (metallic iron) which amount increases as the time of reduction under H₂ is increased. While room temperature Mössbauer data confirm the formation of the cubic phase of magnetite and the occurrence of metallic iron phase, the more complex features of 77 K-Mössbauer spectra suggest the occurrence of electronic localization favored by the different crystalline phase of magnetite at low temperatures which transition to the lower symmetry structure should occur at T ～120 K (Verwey transition).     

Parametric instability and nonlinear oscillations of an FRP channel section column under axial load

Nonlinear Dynamics - The range of applications of fiber-reinforced polymer structures has become increasingly diverse in recent years. However, little is known on their performance under dynamic...     

Magnetic characterization of maghemite nanoparticles dispersed in surface-treated polymeric template

Magnetic characterization of maghemite nanoparticles dispersed in a polymeric template and treated under different chemical processes is reported in this work. Particle size estimated from magnetic measurements, D _M?≈?10 nm, for the free-surfactant sample, is consistent with values determined from XRD analysis and TEM images. The magnetic collapse of sextets towards a quadrupole doublet as the temperature is increased reveals the thermal relaxation of smaller $\upgamma $ -Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements show a strong irreversibility between ZFC and FC curves suggesting the occurrence of particle–particle interaction.     

Size dependence of the magnetic and hyperfine properties of nanostructured hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) powders prepared by the ball milling technique

In this work we present the study of hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanostructures synthesized by the ball milling technique. The structural characterization and the crystallite size estimation have been carried out using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. Data analyses indicate that the hematite phase (space group, R-3C) is preserved after the milling process. As the milling time is increased, a second phase (α-Fe) appears. The mean crystallite size shows a decreasing tendency as the milling time is increased. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images show the formation of grains composed of crystallites with irregular shapes. Mössbauer spectra of milled powders carried out at 297 and 77 K are well modeled with a histogram distribution of hyperfine fields. The presence of one additional sextet which corresponds to the ∝-Fe phase is also determined in agreement with XRD data analysis. Magnetic measurements suggest the suppression of the Morin transition in the milled samples and the absence of thermal relaxation effects in agreement with the Mössbauer spectroscopy results.     

Synthesis and characterization of uncoated and gold-coated magnetite nanoparticles

We report on the synthesis and characterization of uncoated and gold coated magnetite nanoparticles. Structural characterizations, carried out using X-ray diffraction, confirm the formation of magnetite phase with a mean size of ~7 and ~8 nm for the uncoated and gold covered magnetite nanoparticles, respectively. The value of the gold coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles is consistent with the mean physical size determined from transmission electron microscopy images. Mössbauer spectra at room temperature are consistent with the thermal relaxation of magnetic moments mediated by particle-particle interactions. The 77 K Mössbauer spectra are modeled with four sextets. Those sextets are assigned to the signal of iron ions occupying the tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the core and shell parts of the particle. The room-temperature saturation magnetization value determined for the uncoated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles is roughly ~60 emu/g and suggests the occurrence of surface effects such as magnetic disorder or the partial surface oxidation. These surface effects are reduced in the gold-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. Zero-field–cooled and field-cooled curves of both samples show irreversibilities which are consistent with a superparamagnetic behavior of interacting nanoparticles.     

Spin-glass-like behavior of uncompensated surface spins in NiO nanoparticulated powder

Nickel oxide nanoparticles successfully synthesized by a polymer precursor method are studied in this work. The analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data provides a mean crystallite size of 22±2 nm which is in a good agreement with the mean size estimated from transmission electron microscopy images. Whereas the magnetization (M) vs. magnetic field (H) curve obtained at 5 K is consistent with a ferromagnetic component which coexists with an antiferromagnetic component, the presence of two peaks in the zero-field-cooled trace suggests the occurrence of two blocking process. The broad maximum at high temperature was associated with the thermal relaxation of uncompensated spins at the particle core and the low temperature peak was assigned to the freeze of surface spins clusters. Static and dynamic magnetic results suggest that the correlations of surface spins clusters show a spin-glass-like behavior below T_g=7.3±0.1 K with critical exponents zν=9.7±0.5 and β=0.7±0.1, which are consistent with typical values reported for spin-glass systems.     

Effects of particle size on the structural and hyperfine properties of tin dioxide nanoparticles

In this work, we report on the study of SnO ₂ nanoparticles prepared by a polymer precursor method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data analysis evidenced the formation of only the tetragonal rutile-type phase for the as-grown and thermally annealed samples. A mean grain size of about 11 nm for the as-prepared sample has been determined. This mean size increases after the thermal annealing and with the annealing temperature. The room temperature M?ssbauer spectra (MS) were well fitted using a quadrupole splitting (QS) distribution. The isomer shift (IS) tends to increase when the grain size decreases. That increase has been associated to the extra s-electron density generated by the oxygen vacancies.     

Structural and magnetic properties and hyperfine interaction in La3.5Ru4O13 compound

Structural, magnetic and hyperfine interaction measurements have been carried out on the novel compound La_3.5Ru₄O₁₃ prepared under two different atmospheres (air and oxygen flow). This compound is formed in the orthorhombic structure (space group Pmmm, # 47). The coexistence of the triple-layered perovskite-type planes (quasi-2D structure) and the rutile-like slabs (1D structure) leads to interesting magnetic and electronic properties in this compound. The magnetic susceptibility of this system shows a peak at T~47 K associated with antiferromagnetic interactions. The Curie-Weiss behaviour of the susceptibility provides an effective magnetic moment consistent with Ru ions in low-spin state. Perturbed angular correlation measurements carried out with ¹¹¹Cd probe in the temperature range 10-60 K reveal only quadrupole interactions and indicate the occurrence of structural distortions for T<40 K.