Synthesis, structural characterization and magnetic properties of iron boride nanoparticles with or without silicon dioxide coating

Authors

Mislav Mustapic, University of WollongongFollow
Damir Pajic, University of Zagreb
Nikolina Novosel, University of Zagreb
Emil Babic, University of Zagreb
Kreso Zadro, University of Zagreb
Marina Cindric, University of Zagreb
Josip Horvat, University of WollongongFollow
Zeljko Skoko, University of Zagreb
Mirjana Bijelic, University of Zagreb
Andrey Shcherbakov, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

34893

Publication Details

Mustapic, M., Pajic, D., Novosel, N., Babic, E., Zadro, K., Cindric, M., Horvat, J., Skoko, Z., Bijelic, M. & Shcherbakov, A. (2010). Synthesis, structural characterization and magnetic properties of iron boride nanoparticles with or without silicon dioxide coating. Croatica Chemica Acta, 83 (3), 275-282.

Abstract

Nanoparticles of iron boride (Fe₂B, Fe₂B coated in SiO₂, FexCo₂−_xB coated in SiO₂) were synthesized using the reduction of metal ions by sodium borohydride. X-ray diffraction confirms the amorphicity of the coated compounds and scanning electron microscope imaging revealed the nanoparticulated structure of all compounds. The splitting between zero-field-cooled and field-cooled temperature dependent magnetization curves point to the blocking of superparamagnetic particles magnetization. Magnetic hysteresis loops are however consistent with the combined effects of blocked superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic (multidomain) particles. The observed quite complex magnetic behaviour is in accordance with structural studies, where additional phases and broad distribution of particle sizes were identified.