Issue 7, 2015

Origin of the large dispersion of magnetic properties in nanostructured oxides: FexO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a case study

Abstract

The intimate relationship between stoichiometry and physicochemical properties in transition-metal oxides makes them appealing as tunable materials. These features become exacerbated when dealing with nanostructures. However, due to the complexity of nanoscale materials, establishing a distinct relationship between structure-morphology and functionalities is often complicated. In this regard, in the FexO/Fe3O4 system a largely unexplained broad dispersion of magnetic properties has been observed. Here we show, thanks to a comprehensive multi-technique approach, a clear correlation between the magneto-structural properties in large (45 nm) and small (9 nm) FexO/Fe3O4 core/shell nanoparticles that can explain the spread of magnetic behaviors. The results reveal that while the FexO core in the large nanoparticles is antiferromagnetic and has bulk-like stoichiometry and unit-cell parameters, the FexO core in the small particles is highly non-stoichiometric and strained, displaying no significant antiferromagnetism. These results highlight the importance of ample characterization to fully understand the properties of nanostructured metal oxides.

Graphical abstract: Origin of the large dispersion of magnetic properties in nanostructured oxides: FexO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a case study

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
28 Oct 2014
Accepted
29 Dec 2014
First published
31 Dec 2014
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Nanoscale, 2015,7, 3002-3015

Origin of the large dispersion of magnetic properties in nanostructured oxides: FexO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a case study

M. Estrader, A. López-Ortega, I. V. Golosovsky, S. Estradé, A. G. Roca, G. Salazar-Alvarez, L. López-Conesa, D. Tobia, E. Winkler, J. D. Ardisson, W. A. A. Macedo, A. Morphis, M. Vasilakaki, K. N. Trohidou, A. Gukasov, I. Mirebeau, O. L. Makarova, R. D. Zysler, F. Peiró, M. D. Baró, L. Bergström and J. Nogués, Nanoscale, 2015, 7, 3002 DOI: 10.1039/C4NR06351A

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