Interplay between the magnetic field and the dipolar interaction on a magnetic nanoparticle system: A Monte Carlo study

We have studied the influence of the applied magnetic field on the blocking temperature (T_B) of a fine magnetic particle system. By means of a Monte Carlo technique we have simulated zero field cooling (ZFC) curves under different applied fields, obtaining the respective T_B as a function of H. We have focused our study on the limit H → H_K (where H_K is the anisotropy field), since the results found in the literature usually lack a detailed study of this range. The simulations were done at different sample concentration of the nanoparticles, with the purpose of observing how the magnetic dipolar interaction affects the field dependence of T_B. The classical expression predicts T_B to disappear for H ? H_K, independently of the dipolar interaction strength. Our simulations show that at strong interacting conditions T_B exists even for fields H > H_K.     

Synthesis and characterization of CoFe2O4–PVP nanocomposites

Cobalt ferrite–poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) nanocomposites were prepared by drying a dispersion of cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) nanoparticles and poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone). Magnetic measurements indicate a superparamagnetic behavior. Zero-field-cooling magnetization experiments at 100 Oe show different trends depending on the CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles size. For the smaller ones (3.9 nm), the blocking temperatures shift to lower temperatures with increasing concentration; however, this shift is not observed for the larger ones (6.6 nm). These differences can be related to the anisotropy constant of the CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles and the interparticle dipolar interactions.     

Magnetocaloric properties of as-quenched Ni50.4Mn34.9In14.7 ferromagnetic shape memory alloy ribbons

The temperature dependences of magnetic entropy change and refrigerant capacity have been calculated for a maximum field change of Δ H=30 kOe in as-quenched ribbons of the ferromagnetic shape memory alloy Ni_50.4Mn_34.9In_14.7 around the structural reverse martensitic transformation and magnetic transition of austenite. The ribbons crystallize into a single-phase austenite with the L2₁-type crystal structure and Curie point of 284 K. At 262 K austenite starts its transformation into a 10-layered structurally modulated monoclinic martensite. The first- and second-order character of the structural and magnetic transitions was confirmed by the Arrott plot method. Despite the superior absolute value of the maximum magnetic entropy change obtained in the temperature interval where the reverse martensitic transformation occurs (|\varDelta S_M^max|=7.2 J kg^-1 K^-1)(|\varDelta S_{\mathrm{M}}^{\max}|=7.2\mbox{ J}\,\mbox{kg}^{-1}\,\mbox{K}^{-1}) with respect to that obtained around the ferromagnetic transition of austenite (|\varDelta S_M^max|=2.6 J kg^-1 K^-1)(|\varDelta S_{\mathrm{M}}^{\max}|=2.6\mbox{ J}\,\mbox{kg}^{-1}\,\mbox{K}^{-1}), the large average hysteretic losses due to the effect of the magnetic field on the phase transformation as well as the narrow thermal dependence of the magnetic entropy change make the temperature interval around the ferromagnetic transition of austenite of a higher effective refrigerant capacity (RC^magn_eff=95J kg^-1\mathrm{RC}^{\mathrm{magn}}_{\mathrm{eff}}=95\mbox{J}\,\mbox{kg}^{-1} versus RC^struct_eff=60J kg^-1)\mathrm{RC}^{\mathrm{struct}}_{\mathrm{eff}}=60\mbox{J}\,\mbox{kg}^{-1}).     

Influence of the nanoparticle size on the blocking temperature of interacting systems: Monte Carlo simulations

Zero field cooling curves (ZFC) under a relatively big magnetic field have been simulated in order to study the influence of the nanoparticle concentration on the rate of increase of the blocking temperature and its dependence with the nanoparticle size. Results show that for all nanoparticle concentrations the blocking temperature increases linearly with the nanoparticle size. The rate of increase of the blocking temperature is larger for larger nanoparticle concentrations, although it tends to a constant value for very large interactions between particles.