Element-Specific Study of Magnetic Anisotropy and Hardening in SmCo5-xCux Thin Films

This work investigates the effect of copper substitution on the magnetic properties of SmCo5 thin films synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy. A series of thin films with varying concentrations of Cu were grown under otherwise identical conditions to disentangle structural and compositional effects on the magnetic behavior. The combined experimental and theoretical studies show that Cu substitution at the Co3g sites not only stabilizes the formation of the SmCo5 structure but also enhances magnetic anisotropy and coercivity. Density functional theory calculations indicate that Sm(Co4Cu3g)5 possesses a higher single-ion anisotropy as compared to pure SmCo5. In addition, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism reveals that Cu substitution causes an increasing decoupling of the Sm 4f and Co 3d moments. Scanning transmission electron microscopy confirms predominantly SmCo5 phase formation and reveals nanoscale inhomogeneities in the Cu and Co distribution. Our study based on thin film model systems and advanced characterization as well as modeling reveals novel aspects of the complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic contributions to magnetic hysteresis in rare-earth-based magnets, i.e., the combination of increased intrinsic anisotropy due to Cu substitution and the extrinsic effect of inhomogeneous elemental distribution of Cu and Co.

Electron population dynamics in resonant non-linear x-ray absorption in nickel at a free-electron laser

Free-electron lasers provide bright, ultrashort, and monochromatic x-ray pulses, enabling novel spectroscopic measurements not only with femtosecond temporal resolution: The high fluence of their x-ray pulses can also easily enter the regime of the non-linear x-ray-matter interaction. Entering this regime necessitates a rigorous analysis and reliable prediction of the relevant non-linear processes for future experiment designs. Here, we show non-linear changes in the L 3 -edge absorption of metallic nickel thin films, measured with fluences up to 60 J/cm2. We present a simple but predictive rate model that quantitatively describes spectral changes based on the evolution of electronic populations within the pulse duration. Despite its simplicity, the model reaches good agreement with experimental results over more than three orders of magnitude in fluence, while providing a straightforward understanding of the interplay of physical processes driving the non-linear changes. Our findings provide important insights for the design and evaluation of future high-fluence free-electron laser experiments and contribute to the understanding of non-linear electron dynamics in x-ray absorption processes in solids at the femtosecond timescale.

Defying the inverse energy gap law: a vacuum-evaporable Fe(ii) low-spin complex with a long-lived LIESST state

The novel vacuum-evaporable complex [Fe(pypypyr)₂] (pypypyr = bipyridyl pyrrolide) was synthesised and analysed as bulk material and as a thin film. In both cases, the compound is in its low-spin state up to temperatures of at least 510 K. Thus, it is conventionally considered a pure low-spin compound. According to the inverse energy gap law, the half time of the light-induced excited high-spin state of such compounds at temperatures approaching 0 K is expected to be in the regime of micro- or nanoseconds. In contrast to these expectations, the light-induced high-spin state of the title compound has a half time of several hours. We attribute this behaviour to a large structural difference between the two spin states along with four distinct distortion coordinates associated with the spin transition. This leads to a breakdown of single-mode behaviour and thus drastically decreases the relaxation rate of the metastable high-spin state. These unprecedented properties open up new strategies for the development of compounds showing light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) at high temperatures, potentially around room temperature, which is relevant for applications in molecular spintronics, sensors, displays and the like.

Formation of precipitates in off-stoichiometric Ni-Mn-Sn Heusler alloys probed through the induced Sn-moment

The shell-ferromagnetic effect originates from the segregation process in off-stoichiometric Ni-Mn-based Heusler alloys. In this work, we investigate the precipitation process of L2₁-ordered Ni₂MnSn and L1₀-ordered NiMn in off-stoichiometric Ni₅₀Mn₄₅Sn₅ during temper annealing, by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. While XRD probes long-range ordering of the lattice structure, Mössbauer spectroscopy probes nearest-neighbour interactions, reflected in the induced Sn magnetic moment. As shown in this work, the induced magnetic Sn moment can be used as a detector for microscopic structural changes and is, therefore, a powerful tool for investigating the formation of nano-precipitates. Similar research can be performed in the future, for example, on different pinning type magnets like Sm-Co or Nd-Fe-B.

Optimization of Magnetic Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles for Magnetic Heating Applications in Biomedical Technology

Using magnetic nanoparticles for extracorporeal magnetic heating applications in bio-medical technology allows higher external field amplitudes and thereby the utilization of particles with higher coercivities (H_C). In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of high coercivity cobalt ferrite nanoparticles following a wet co-precipitation method. Particles are characterized with magnetometry, X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and calorimetric measurements for the determination of their specific absorption rate (SAR). In the first series, Co_xFe_3-xO₄ particles were synthesized with x = 1 and a structured variation of synthesis conditions, including those of the used atmosphere (O₂ or N₂). In the second series, particles with x = 0 to 1 were synthesized to study the influence of the cobalt fraction on the resulting magnetic and structural properties. Crystallite sizes of the resulting particles ranged between 10 and 18 nm, while maximum coercivities at room temperatures of 60 kA/m for synthesis with O₂ and 37 kA/m for N₂ were reached. Magnetization values at room temperature and 2 T (M_RT,2T) up to 60 Am²/kg under N₂ for x = 1 can be achieved. Synthesis parameters that lead to the formation of an additional phase when they exceed specific thresholds have been identified. Based on XRD findings, the direct correlation between high-field magnetization, the fraction of this antiferromagnetic byphase and the estimated transition temperature of this byphase, extracted from the Mössbauer spectroscopy series, we were able to attribute this contribution to akageneite. When varying the cobalt fraction x, a non-monotonous correlation of H_C and x was found, with a linear increase of H_C up to x = 0.8 and a decrease for x > 0.8, while magnetometry and in-field Mössbauer experiments demonstrated a moderate degree of spin canting for all x, yielding high magnetization. SAR values up to 480 W/g (@290 kHz, 69 mT) were measured for immobilized particles with x = 0.3, whit the external field amplitude being the limiting factor due to the high coercivities of our particles.

2-Propanol interacting with Co3O4(001): A combined vSFS and AIMD study

The interaction of 2-propanol with Co3O4(001) was studied by vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of 2-propanol dissolved in a water film to gain an insight, at the molecular level, into the pathways of catalytic oxidation. The experimental study has been performed under near ambient conditions, where the presence of water vapor is unavoidable, resulting in a water film on the sample and, thereby, allowing us to mimic the solution-water interface. Both experiment and theory conclude that 2-propanol adsorbs molecularly. The lack of dissociation is attributed to the adsorption geometry of 2-propanol in which the O-H bond does not point toward the surface. Furthermore, the copresent water not only competitively adsorbs on the surface but also inhibits 2-propanol deprotonation. The calculations reveal that the presence of water deactivates the lattice oxygen, thereby reducing the surface activity. This finding sheds light on the multifaceted role of water at the interface for the electrochemical oxidation of 2-propanol in aqueous solution as recently reported [Falk et al., ChemCatChem 13, 2942-2951 (2021)]. At higher temperatures, 2-propanol remains molecularly adsorbed on Co3O4(001) until it desorbs with increasing surface temperature.

Spray-Flame Synthesis of LaFexCo1-xO3 (x = 0.2, 0.3) Perovskite Nanoparticles for Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Water Splitting: Effect of Precursor Chemistry (Acetates and Nitrates)

The product properties of mixed oxide nanoparticles generated via spray-flame synthesis depend on an intricate interplay of solvent and precursor chemistries in the processed solution. The effect of two different sets of metal precursors, acetates and nitrates, dissolved in a mixture of ethanol (35 Vol.%) and 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA, 65 Vol.%) was investigated for the synthesis of LaFe_xCo_1-xO₃ (x = 0.2, 0.3) perovskites. Regardless of the set of precursors, similar particle-size distributions (d_p = 8-11 nm) were obtained and a few particles with sizes above 20 nm were identified with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. Using acetates as precursors, inhomogeneous La, Fe, and Co elemental distributions were obtained for all particle sizes according to energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mappings, connected to the formation of multiple secondary phases such as oxygen-deficient La₃(Fe_xCo_1-x)₃O₈ brownmillerite or La₄(Fe_xCo_1-x)₃O₁₀ Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) structures besides the main trigonal perovskite phase. For samples synthesized from nitrates, inhomogeneous elemental distributions were observed for large particles only where La and Fe enrichment occurred in combination with the formation of a secondary La₂(Fe_xCo_1-x)O₄ RP phase. Such variations can be attributed to reactions in the solution prior to injection in the flame as well as precursor-dependent variations in in-flame reactions. Therefore, the precursor solutions were analyzed by temperature-dependent attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) measurements. The acetate-based precursor solutions indicated the partial conversion of, mainly La and Fe, acetates to metal 2-ethylhexanoates. In the nitrate-based solutions, esterification of ethanol and 2-EHA played the most important role. The synthesized nanoparticle samples were characterized by BET (Brunauer, Emmett, Teller), FTIR, Mössbauer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All samples were tested as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts, and similar electrocatalytic activities were recorded when evaluating the potential required to reach 10 mA/cm² current density (∼1.61 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)).

Photon-shot-noise-limited transient absorption soft X-ray spectroscopy at the European XFEL

Femtosecond transient soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a very promising technique that can be employed at X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) to investigate out-of-equilibrium dynamics for material and energy research. Here, a dedicated setup for soft X-rays available at the Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering (SCS) instrument at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (European XFEL) is presented. It consists of a beam-splitting off-axis zone plate (BOZ) used in transmission to create three copies of the incoming beam, which are used to measure the transmitted intensity through the excited and unexcited sample, as well as to monitor the incoming intensity. Since these three intensity signals are detected shot by shot and simultaneously, this setup allows normalized shot-by-shot analysis of the transmission. For photon detection, an imaging detector capable of recording up to 800 images at 4.5 MHz frame rate during the FEL burst is employed, and allows a photon-shot-noise-limited sensitivity to be approached. The setup and its capabilities are reviewed as well as the online and offline analysis tools provided to users.

Solvent Influence on the Magnetization and Phase of Fe-Ni Alloy Nanoparticles Generated by Laser Ablation in Liquids

The synthesis of bimetallic iron-nickel nanoparticles with control over the synthesized phases, particle size, surface chemistry, and oxidation level remains a challenge that limits the application of these nanoparticles. Pulsed laser ablation in liquid allows the properties tuning of the generated nanoparticles by changing the ablation solvent. Organic solvents such as acetone can minimize nanoparticle oxidation. Yet, economical laboratory and technical grade solvents that allow cost-effective production of FeNi nanoparticles contain water impurities, which are a potential source of oxidation. Here, we investigated the influence of water impurities in acetone on the properties of FeNi nanoparticles generated by pulsed laser ablation in liquids. To remove water impurities and produce "dried acetone", cost-effective and reusable molecular sieves (3 Å) are employed. The results show that the Fe₅₀Ni₅₀ nanoparticles' properties are influenced by the water content of the solvent. The metastable HCP FeNi phase is found in NPs prepared in acetone, while only the FCC phase is observed in NPs formed in water. Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed that the FeNi nanoparticles oxidation in dried acetone is reduced by 8% compared to acetone. The high-field magnetization of Fe₅₀Ni₅₀ nanoparticles in water is the highest, 68 Am²/kg, followed by the nanoparticles obtained after ablation in acetone without water impurities, 59 Am²/kg, and acetone, 52 Am²/kg. The core-shell structures formed in these three liquids are also distinctive, demonstrating that a core-shell structure with an outer oxide layer is formed in water, while carbon external layers are obtained in acetone without water impurity. The results confirm that the size, structure, phase, and oxidation of FeNi nanoparticles produced by pulsed laser ablation in liquids can be modified by changing the solvent or just reducing the water impurities in the organic solvent.

Element-specific visualization of dynamic magnetic coupling in a Co/Py bilayer microstructure

We present the element-specific and time resolved visualization of uniform ferromagnetic resonance excitations of a Permalloy (Py) disk–Cobalt (Co) stripe bilayer microstructure. The transverse high frequency component of the resonantly excited magnetization is sampled in the ps regime by a combination of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM-FMR) recording snapshots of the local magnetization precession of Py and Co with nanometer spatial resolution. The approach allows us to individually image the resonant dynamic response of each element, and we find that angular momentum is transferred from the Py disk to the Co stripe and vice versa at their respective resonances. The integral (cavity) FMR spectrum of our sample shows an unexpected additional third resonance. This resonance is observed in the STXM-FMR experiments as well. Our microscopic findings suggest that it is governed by magnetic exchange between Py and Co, showing for the Co stripe a difference in relative phase of the magnetization due to stray field influence.

Rare-earth doped BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3 nanoparticles for potential hyperthermia applications

Ionic engineering is exploited to substitute Bi cations in BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3 NPs (BFM) with rare-earth (RE) elements (Nd, Gd, and Dy). The sol-gel synthesized RE-NPs are tested for their magnetic hyperthermia potential. RE-dopants alter the morphology of BFM NPs from elliptical to rectangular to irregular hexagonal for Nd, Gd, and Dy doping, respectively. The RE-BFM NPs are ferroelectric and show larger piezoresponse than the pristine BFO NPs. There is an increase of the maximum magnetization at 300 K of BFM up to 550% by introducing Gd. In hyperthermia tests, 3 mg/ml dispersion of NPs in water and agar could increase the temperature of the dispersion up to ∼39°C under an applied AC magnetic field of 80 mT. Although Gd doping generates the highest increment in magnetization of BFM NPs, the Dy-BFM NPs show the best hyperthermia results. These findings show that RE-doped BFO NPs are promising for hyperthermia and other biomedical applications.

Spin-Polarized Photoemission from Chiral CuO Catalyst Thin Films

The chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect facilitates a paradigm shift for controlling the outcome and efficiency of spin-dependent chemical reactions, for example, photoinduced water splitting. While the phenomenon is established in organic chiral molecules, its emergence in chiral but inorganic, nonmolecular materials is not yet understood. Nevertheless, inorganic spin-filtering materials offer favorable characteristics, such as thermal and chemical stability, over organic, molecular spin filters. Chiral cupric oxide (CuO) thin films can spin polarize (photo)electron currents, and this capability is linked to the occurrence of the CISS effect. In the present work, chiral CuO films, electrochemically deposited on partially UV-transparent polycrystalline gold substrates, were subjected to deep-UV laser pulses, and the average spin polarization of photoelectrons was measured in a Mott scattering apparatus. By energy resolving the photoelectrons and changing the photoexcitation geometry, the energy distribution and spin polarization of the photoelectrons originating from the Au substrate could be distinguished from those arising from the CuO film. The findings reveal that the spin polarization is energy dependent and, furthermore, indicate that the measured polarization values can be rationalized as a sum of an intrinsic spin polarization in the chiral oxide layer and a contribution via CISS-related spin filtering of electrons from the Au substrate. The results support efforts toward a rational design of further spin-selective catalytic oxide materials.

Selecting the Reaction Path in On-Surface Synthesis through the Electron Chemical Potential in Graphene

The organometallic on-surface synthesis of the eight-membered sp² carbon-based ring cyclooctatetraene (C₈H₈, Cot) with the neighboring rare-earth elements ytterbium and thulium yields fundamentally different products for the two lanthanides, when conducted on graphene (Gr) close to the charge neutrality point. Sandwich-molecular YbCot wires of more than 500 Å length being composed of an alternating sequence of Yb atoms and upright-standing Cot molecules result from the on-surface synthesis with Yb. In contrast, repulsively interacting TmCot dots consisting of a single Cot molecule and a single Tm atom result from the on-surface synthesis with Tm. While the YbCot wires are bound through van der Waals interactions to the substrate, the dots are chemisorbed to Gr via the Tm atoms being more electropositive compared to Yb atoms. When the electron chemical potential in Gr is substantially raised (n-doping) through backside doping from an intercalation layer, the reaction product in the synthesis with Tm can be tuned to TmCot sandwich-molecular wires rather than TmCot dots. By use of density functional theory, it is found that the reduced electronegativity of Gr upon n-doping weakens the binding as well as the charge transfer between the reaction intermediate TmCot dot and Gr. Thus, the assembly of the TmCot dots to long TmCot sandwich-molecular wires becomes energetically favorable. It is thereby demonstrated that the electron chemical potential in Gr can be used as a control parameter in an organometallic on-surface synthesis to tune the outcome of a reaction.

Tailoring magnetic anisotropy by graphene-induced selective skyhook effect on 4f-metals

From macroscopic heavy-duty permanent magnets to nanodevices, the precise control of the magnetic properties in rare-earth metals is crucial for many applications used in our daily life. Therefore, a detailed understanding and manipulation of the 4f-metals' magnetic properties are key to further boosting the functionalization and efficiency of future applications. We present a proof-of-concept approach consisting of a dysprosium-iridium surface alloy in which graphene adsorption allows us to tailor its magnetic properties. By adsorbing graphene onto a long-range ordered two-dimensional dysprosium-iridium surface alloy, the magnetic 4f-metal atoms are selectively lifted from the surface alloy. This selective skyhook effect introduces a giant magnetic anisotropy in dysprosium atoms as a result of manipulating its geometrical structure within the surface alloy. Introducing and proving this concept by our combined theoretical and experimental approach provides an easy and unambiguous understanding of its underlying mechanism. Our study sets the ground for an alternative path on how to modify the crystal field around 4f-atoms and therefore their magnetic anisotropies.

Phase Segregation in Cobalt Iron Oxide Nanowires toward Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity

The impact of reduction post-treatment and phase segregation of cobalt iron oxide nanowires on their electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity is investigated. A series of cobalt iron oxide spinel nanowires are prepared via the nanocasting route using ordered mesoporous silica as a hard template. The replicated oxides are selectively reduced through a mild reduction that results in phase transformation as well as the formation of grain boundaries. The detailed structural analyses, including the ⁵⁷Fe isotope-enriched Mössbauer study, validated the formation of iron oxide clusters supported by ordered mesoporous CoO nanowires after the reduction process. This affects the OER activity significantly, whereby the overpotential at 10 mA/cm² decreases from 378 to 339 mV and the current density at 1.7 V vs RHE increases by twofold from 150 to 315 mA/cm². In situ Raman microscopy revealed that the surfaces of reduced CoO were oxidized to cobalt with a higher oxidation state upon solvation in the KOH electrolyte. The implementation of external potential bias led to the formation of an oxyhydroxide intermediate and a disordered-spinel phase. The interactions of iron clusters with cobalt oxide at the phase boundaries were found to be beneficial to enhance the charge transfer of the cobalt oxide and boost the overall OER activity by reaching a Faradaic efficiency of up to 96%. All in all, the post-reduction and phase segregation of cobalt iron oxide play an important role as a precatalyst for the OER.

Spin Crossover in a Cobalt Complex on Ag(111)

The Co‐based complex [Co(H₂B(pz)(pypz))₂] (py=pyridine, pz=pyrazole) deposited on Ag(111) was investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy at ≈5 K. Due to a bis(tridentate) coordination sphere the molecules aggregate mainly into tetramers. Individual complexes in these tetramers undergo reversible transitions between two states with characteristic image contrasts when current is passed through them or one of their neighbors. Two molecules exhibit this bistability while the other two molecules are stable. The transition rates vary linearly with the tunneling current and exhibit an intriguing dependence on the bias voltage and its polarity. We interpret the states as being due to S=¹/₂ and ³/₂ spin states of the Co²⁺ complex. The image contrast and the orders‐of‐magnitude variations of the switching yields can be tentatively understood from the calculated orbital structures of the two spin states, thus providing first insights into the mechanism of electron‐induced excited spin‐state trapping (ELIESST).

Creating a Ferromagnetic Ground State with Tc Above Room Temperature in a Paramagnetic Alloy through Non-Equilibrium Nanostructuring

Materials with strong magnetostructural coupling have complex energy landscapes featuring multiple local ground states, thus making it possible to switch among distinct magnetic-electronic properties. However, these energy minima are rarely accessible by a mere application of an external stimuli to the system in equilibrium state. A ferromagnetic ground state, with T_c above room temperature, can be created in an initially paramagnetic alloy by nonequilibrium nanostructuring. By a dealloying process, bulk chemically disordered FeRh alloys are transformed into a nanoporous structure with the topology of a few nanometer-sized ligaments and nodes. Magnetometry and Mössbauer spectroscopy reveal the coexistence of two magnetic ground states, a conventional low-temperature spin-glass and a hitherto-unknown robust ferromagnetic phase. The emergence of the ferromagnetic phase is validated by density functional theory calculations showing that local tetragonal distortion induced by surface stress favors ferromagnetic ordering. The study provides a means for reaching conventionally inaccessible magnetic states, resulting in a complete on/off ferromagnetic-paramagnetic switching over a broad temperature range.

Magnetic response of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles confined in a PNIPAM microgel network

The paper addresses coupling of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with the polymer matrix of temperature-sensitive microgels and their response to magnetic fields. Therefore, CoFe₂O₄@CA (CA = citric acid) NPs are embedded within N-isopropylacrylamid (NIPAM) based microgels. The volume phase transition (VPT) of the magnetic microgels and the respective pure microgels is studied by dynamic light scattering and electrophoretic mobility measurements. The interaction between MNPs and microgel network is studied via magnetometry and AC-susceptometry using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The data show a significant change of the magnetic properties by crossing the VPT temperature (VPTT). The change is related to the increased confinement of the MNP due to the shrinking of the microgels. Modifying the microgel with hydrophobic allyl mercaptan (AM) affects the swelling ability and the magnetic response, i.e. the coupling of MNPs with the polymer matrix. Modeling the AC-susceptibility data results in an effective size distribution. This distribution represents the varying degree of constraint in MNP rotation and motion by the microgel network. These findings help to understand the interaction between MNPs and the microgel matrix to design multi responsive systems with tunable particle matrix coupling strength for future applications.

Structure–activity correlation in aerobic cyclohexene oxidation and peroxide decomposition over CoxFe3−xO4 spinel oxides

Aerobic cyclohexene oxidation and peroxide decomposition in the liquid phase were performed over a series of CoxFe3−xO4 spinel catalysts exhibiting a volcano plot for the catalytic activity with a maximum at x = 1.

Correction: Towards a mechanistic understanding of the sol–gel syntheses of ternary carbides

Correction for ‘Towards a mechanistic understanding of the sol–gel syntheses of ternary carbides’ by Jan P. Siebert et al., Inorg. Chem. Front., 2022, DOI: 10.1039/d2qi00053a.

Towards a mechanistic understanding of the sol–gel syntheses of ternary carbides

The formation mechanism during the sol–gel synthesis of MAX phase Cr2GaC is unraveled using a combination of complementary techniques.

Structural Insights into Hysteretic Spin-Crossover in a Set of Iron(II)-2,6-bis(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine) Complexes

Bistable spin‐crossover (SCO) complexes that undergo abrupt and hysteretic (ΔT_1/2) spin‐state switching are desirable for molecule‐based switching and memory applications. In this study, we report on structural facets governing hysteretic SCO in a set of iron(II)‐2,6‐bis(1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)pyridine) (bpp) complexes – [Fe(bpp−COOEt)₂](X)₂⋅CH₃NO₂ (X=ClO₄, 1; X=BF₄, 2). Stable spin‐state switching – T_1/2=288 K; ΔT_1/2=62 K – is observed for 1, whereas 2 undergoes above‐room‐temperature lattice‐solvent content‐dependent SCO – T_1/2=331 K; ΔT_1/2=43 K. Variable‐temperature single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies of the complexes revealed pronounced molecular reorganizations – from the Jahn‐Teller‐distorted HS state to the less distorted LS state – and conformation switching of the ethyl group of the COOEt substituent upon SCO. Consequently, we propose that the large structural reorganizations rendered SCO hysteretic in 1 and 2. Such insights shedding light on the molecular origin of thermal hysteresis might enable the design of technologically relevant molecule‐based switching and memory elements.

The Effect of Water on the 2-Propanol Oxidation Activity of Co-Substituted LaFe1- Cox O3 Perovskites

Perovskites are interesting oxidation catalysts due to their chemical flexibility enabling the tuning of several properties. In this work, we synthesized LaFe_1−xCo_xO₃ catalysts by co‐precipitation and thermal decomposition, characterized them thoroughly and studied their 2‐propanol oxidation activity under dry and wet conditions to bridge the knowledge gap between gas and liquid phase reactions. Transient tests showed a highly active, unstable low‐temperature (LT) reaction channel in conversion profiles and a stable, less‐active high‐temperature (HT) channel. Cobalt incorporation had a positive effect on the activity. The effect of water was negative on the LT channel, whereas the HT channel activity was boosted for x>0.15. The boost may originate from a slower deactivation rate of the Co³⁺ sites under wet conditions and a higher amount of hydroxide species on the surface comparing wet to dry feeds. Water addition resulted in a slower deactivation for Co‐rich catalysts and higher activity in the HT channel state.

The Roles of Composition and Mesostructure of Cobalt-Based Spinel Catalysts in Oxygen Evolution Reactions

By using the crystalline precursor decomposition approach and direct co-precipitation the composition and mesostructure of cobalt-based spinels can be controlled. A systematic substitution of cobalt with redox-active iron and redox-inactive magnesium and aluminum in a cobalt spinel with anisotropic particle morphology with a preferred 111 surface termination is presented, resulting in a substitution series including Co₃ O₄ , MgCo₂ O₄ , Co₂ FeO₄ , Co₂ AlO₄ and CoFe₂ O₄ . The role of redox pairs in the spinels is investigated in chemical water oxidation by using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN test), electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and H₂ O₂ decomposition. Studying the effect of dominant surface termination, isotropic Co₃ O₄ and CoFe₂ O₄ catalysts with more or less spherical particles are compared to their anisotropic analogues. For CAN-test and OER, Co³⁺ plays the major role for high activity. In H₂ O₂ decomposition, Co²⁺ reveals itself to be of major importance. Redox active cations in the structure enhance the catalytic activity in all reactions. A benefit of a predominant 111 surface termination depends on the cobalt oxidation state in the as-prepared catalysts and the investigated reaction.

A full gap above the Fermi level: the charge density wave of monolayer VS2

In the standard model of charge density wave (CDW) transitions, the displacement along a single phonon mode lowers the total electronic energy by creating a gap at the Fermi level, making the CDW a metal-insulator transition. Here, using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy and ab initio calculations, we show that VS2 realizes a CDW which stands out of this standard model. There is a full CDW gap residing in the unoccupied states of monolayer VS2. At the Fermi level, the CDW induces a topological metal-metal (Lifshitz) transition. Non-linear coupling of transverse and longitudinal phonons is essential for the formation of the CDW and the full gap above the Fermi level. Additionally, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism reveals the absence of net magnetization in this phase, pointing to coexisting charge and spin density waves in the ground state.

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles with LC polymer brush shell as efficient dopants for ferronematic phases

Liquid crystal (LC) based magnetic materials consisting of LC hosts doped with functional magnetic nanoparticles enable optical switching of the mesogens at moderate magnetic field strengths and thereby open the pathway for the design of novel smart devices. A promising route for the fabrication of stable ferronematic phases is the attachment of a covalently bound LC polymer shell onto the surface of nanoparticles. With this approach, ferronematic phases based on magnetically blocked particles and the commercial LC 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) liquid crystal were shown to have a sufficient magnetic sensitivity, but the mechanism of the magneto-nematic coupling is unidentified. To get deeper insight into the coupling modes present in these systems, we prepared ferronematic materials based on superparamagnetic particles, which respond to external fields with internal magnetic realignment instead of mechanical rotation. This aims at clarifying whether the hard coupling of the magnetization to the particle's orientation (magnetic blocking) is a necessary component of the magnetization-nematic director coupling mechanism. We herein report the fabrication of a ferronematic phase consisting of surface-functionalized superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ particles and 5CB. We characterize the phase behavior and investigate the magneto-optical properties of the new ferronematic phase and compare it to the ferronematic system containing magnetically blocked CoFe₂O₄ particles to get information about the origin of the magneto-nematic coupling.

Evolution of the magnetic hyperfine field profiles in an ion-irradiated Fe60Al40 film measured by nuclear resonant reflectivity

Nuclear resonant reflectivity (NRR) from an Fe₆₀Al₄₀ film was measured using synchrotron radiation at several grazing angles near the critical angle of total external reflection. Using laterally resolved measurements after irradiation with 20 keV Ne⁺ ions of gradually varying fluence of 0-3.0 × 10¹⁴ ions cm^-2, the progressive creation of the ferromagnetic A2 phase with increasing ion fluence was confirmed. The observed depth selectivity of the method has been explained by application of the standing wave approach. From the time spectra of the nuclear resonant scattering in several reflection directions the depth profiles for different hyperfine fields were extracted. The results show that the highest magnetic hyperfine fields (∼18-23 T) are initially created in the central part of the film and partially at the bottom interface with the SiO₂ substrate. The evolution of the ferromagnetic onset, commencing at a fixed depth within the film and propagating towards the interfaces, has been directly observed. At higher fluence (3.0 × 10¹⁴ ions cm^-2) the depth distribution of the ferromagnetic fractions became more homogeneous across the film depth, in accordance with previous results.

Strain- and field-induced anisotropy in hybrid elastomers with elongated filler nanoparticles

The implementation of anisotropy to functional materials is a key step towards future smart materials. In this work, we evaluate the influence of preorientation and sample architecture on the strain-induced anisotropy in hybrid elastomers containing covalently attached elongated magnetic filler particles. Accordingly, silica coated spindle-type hematite nanoparticles are incorporated into poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based elastomers, and two types of composite architectures are compared: on the one hand a conventional architecture of filled, covalently crosslinked elastomers, and on the other hybrid elastomers that are crosslinked exclusively by covalent attachment of the polymer chains to the particle surface. By the application of external strain and with magnetic fields, the orientational order of the elongated nanoparticles can be manipulated, and we investigate the interplay between strain, magnetic order, and orientational order of the particles by combining 2D small angle X-ray scattering experiments under strain and fields with Mössbauer spectroscopy under similar conditions, and supplementary angular-dependent magnetization experiments. The converging information is used to quantify the order in these interesting materials, while establishing a direct link between the magnetic properties and the spatial orientation of the embedded magnetic nanoparticles.

Formation of Fe-Ni Nanoparticle Strands in Macroscopic Polymer Composites: Experiment and Simulation

Magnetic-field-induced strand formation of ferromagnetic Fe-Ni nanoparticles in a PMMA-matrix is correlated with the intrinsic material parameters, such as magnetization, particle size, composition, and extrinsic parameters, including magnetic field strength and viscosity. Since various factors can influence strand formation, understanding the composite fabrication process that maintains the strand lengths of Fe-Ni in the generated structures is a fundamental step in predicting the resulting structures. Hence, the critical dimensions of the strands (length, width, spacing, and aspect ratio) are investigated in the experiments and simulated via different intrinsic and extrinsic parameters. Optimal parameters were found by optical microscopy measurements and finite-element simulations using COMSOL for strand formation of Fe50Ni50 nanoparticles. The anisotropic behavior of the aligned strands was successfully characterized through magnetometry measurements. Compared to the unaligned samples, the magnetically aligned strands exhibit enhanced conductivity, increasing the current by a factor of 1000.

On the structure-property relationships of (Al, Ga, In)-doped spinel cobalt ferrite compounds: a combined experimental and DFT study

We report a combined experimental and theoretical study of pure and doped cobalt ferrite where 25% of Fe³⁺ ions were replaced by Al³⁺, Ga³⁺, and In³⁺ ions, respectively, i.e., CoFe_1.5X_0.5O₄ (X = Al, Ga, and In). The ferrite compositions were successfully synthesized using the solid-state reaction method. The X-ray powder diffraction method established that all ferrite samples had a spinel unit cell structure with the Fd3[combining macron]m (No. 227) space group. The lattice constants of ferrites increased from 8.382 Å (for undoped CoFe₂O₄) to 8.520 Å (for In-doped cobalt ferrite) in direct relation to the dopant ion size. The magnetic properties were obtained at 4.3 K and 300 K. At 4.3 K, the In-doped CoFe₂O₄ showed the highest saturation magnetic moment of 4.68 μ_B f.u.^-1, while Al-doped CoFe₂O₄ showed the smallest value of 2.72 μ_B f.u.^-1. The Fe³⁺ distribution among the spinel tetrahedral and octahedral sites was determined from the Mössbauer spectra. From ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy the direct optical bandgaps were determined, which have values between 1.20 eV and 1.28 eV for these ferrites. The ferrite compositions were also studied theoretically using plane-wave density functional theory using the CASTEP code where it was revealed that arrangements of the non-magnetic cations at the tetrahedral and octahedral sites strongly influence the electronic structure, the bandgap value, and the net magnetic moment per formula unit. Light Al³⁺ ions at the octahedral site give a low value of the net magnetic moment while the heavier Ga³⁺ and In³⁺ ions at the tetrahedral sites of the spinel give an enhanced magnetic moment. The magnetic moment values obtained from theoretical calculations match very well with the experimental values. Moreover, the theoretical calculations reveal that there exists a strong p-d hybridization among the oxygen and magnetic ions, which is affected by the non-magnetic dopant ions. The change in hybridization with the non-magnetic ion doping is responsible for the altered magnetic moments of the doped ferrites. Thus, our study provides a comprehensive investigation covering the synthesis and characterization of ferrites along with a good understanding of the phenomenon of how non-magnetic ion doping into spinel ferrites provides a method to tune the electronic and magnetic properties of the spinel ferrite.

Epitaxy Induced Highly Ordered Sm2Co17-SmCo5 Nanoscale Thin-Film Magnets

Utilizing the molecular beam epitaxy technique, a nanoscale thin-film magnet of c-axis-oriented Sm₂Co₁₇ and SmCo₅ phases is stabilized. While typically in the prototype Sm(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)_7.5-8 pinning-type magnets, an ordered nanocomposite is formed by complex thermal treatments, here, a one-step approach to induce controlled phase separation in a binary Sm-Co system is shown. A detailed analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure confirmed the coexistence of Sm₂Co₁₇ and SmCo₅ phases with 65% Sm₂Co₁₇ and 35% SmCo₅. The SmCo₅ phase is stabilized directly on an Al₂O₃ substrate up to a thickness of 4 nm followed by a matrix of Sm₂Co₁₇ intermixed with SmCo₅. This structural transition takes place through coherent atomic layers, as revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy. Highly crystalline growth of well-aligned Sm₂Co₁₇ and SmCo₅ phases with coherent interfaces result in strong exchange interaction, leading to enhanced magnetization and magnetic coupling. The arrangement of Sm₂Co₁₇ and SmCo₅ phases at the nanoscale is reflected in the observed magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity. As next-generation permanent magnets require designing of materials at an atomic level, this work enhances our understanding of self-assembling and functioning of nanophased magnets and contributes to establishing new concepts to engineer the microstructure for beyond state-of-the-art magnets.

Towards laser printing of magnetocaloric structures by inducing a magnetic phase transition in iron-rhodium nanoparticles

The development of magnetocaloric materials represents an approach to enable efficient and environmentally friendly refrigeration. It is envisioned as a key technology to reduce CO2 emissions of air conditioning and cooling systems. Fe-Rh has been shown to be one of the best-suited materials in terms of heat exchange per material volume. However, the Fe-Rh magnetocaloric response depends on its composition. Hence, the adaptation of material processing routes that preserve the Fe-Rh magnetocaloric response in the generated structures is a fundamental step towards the industrial development of this cooling technology. To address this challenge, the temperature-dependent properties of laser synthesized Fe-Rh nanoparticles and the laser printing of Fe-Rh nanoparticle inks are studied to generate 2D magnetocaloric structures that are potentially interesting for applications such as waste heat management of compact electrical appliances or thermal diodes, switches, and printable magnetocaloric media. The magnetization and temperature dependence of the ink's γ-FeRh to B2-FeRh magnetic transition is analyzed throughout the complete process, finding a linear increase of the magnetization M (0.8 T, 300 K) up to 96 Am2/kg with ca. 90% of the γ-FeRh being transformed permanently into the B2-phase. In 2D structures, magnetization values of M (0.8 T, 300 K) ≈ 11 Am2/kg could be reached by laser sintering, yielding partial conversion to the B2-phase equivalent to long-time heating temperature of app. 600 K, via this treatment. Thus, the proposed procedure constitutes a robust route to achieve the generation of magnetocaloric structures.

Towards field-effect controlled graphene-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of cobalt octaethylporphyrin molecules

During the last decade graphene-enhanced Raman spectroscopy has proven to be a powerful tool to detect and analyze minute amounts of molecules adsorbed on graphene. By using a graphene-based field-effect device the unique opportunity arises to gain a deeper insight into the coupling of molecules and graphene as graphene's Fermi level can be controlled by the transistor`s gate voltage. However, the fabrication of such a device comes with great challenges because of contaminations stemming from processing the device inevitably prevent direct adsorption of the molecules onto graphene rendering it unsuitable for field-effect controlled graphene-enhanced Raman spectroscopy measurements/experiments. In this work, we solve this problem by establishing two different fabrication procedures for such devices, both of which are in addition compatible with large area and scalable production requirements. As a first solution, selective argon cluster irradiation is shown to be an efficient way to remove resist residues after processing. We provide evidence that after the irradiation the enhancement of the molecular Raman signal can indeed be measured, demonstrating that this procedure cleans graphene's surface sufficiently enough for direct molecular adsorption. As a second solution, we have developed a novel stacking method to encapsulate the molecules in between two graphene layers to protect the underlying graphene and molecular layer from the harsh conditions during the photolithography process. This method combines the advantages of dry stacking, which leads to a perfectly clean interface, and wet stacking processes, which can easily be scaled up for large area processing. Both approaches yield working graphene transistors with strong molecular Raman signals stemming from cobalt octaehtylporphyrin, a promising and prototypical candidate for spintronic applications, and are therefore suitable for graphene based molecular sensing applications.

Mechanism of magnetization reduction in iron oxide nanoparticles

Iron oxide nanoparticles are presently considered as main work horses for various applications including targeted drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia. Several questions remain unsolved regarding the effect of size onto their overall magnetic behavior. One aspect is the reduction of magnetization compared to bulk samples. A detailed understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this reduction could improve the particle performance in applications. Here we use a number of complementary experimental techniques including neutron scattering and synchrotron X-ray diffraction to arrive at a consistent conclusion. We confirm the observation from previous studies of a reduced saturation magnetization and argue that this reduction is mainly associated with the presence of antiphase boundaries, which are observed directly using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and indirectly via an anisotropic peak broadening in X-ray diffraction patterns. Additionally small-angle neutron scattering with polarized neutrons revealed a small non-magnetic surface layer, that is, however, not sufficient to explain the observed loss in magnetization alone.

Microscopic understanding of particle-matrix interaction in magnetic hybrid materials by element-specific spectroscopy

Mössbauer spectroscopy is a well-known technique to study complex magnetic structures, due to its sensitivity to electronic and magnetic interactions of the probed nucleus with its electronic surrounding. It has also been applied to the emerging fields of magnetic hybrid materials as well as to ferrofluids, as information on the magnetic alignment and the velocity of the probed nucleus, i.e. of the particle it is embedded in, can be inferred from the spectra in addition to the above-mentioned quantities. Considering the wide range of preparation methods and sample properties, including fluids, particle powders, sintered pellets, polymer matrices and viscoelastic hydrogels, a considerable advantage of Mössbauer spectroscopy is the usage of γ-photons. This allows measurements on opaque samples, for which optical experiments are usually not feasible, also making the technique relatively independent of specific sample geometries or preparation. Using iron oxide nanoparticles in glycerol solution as an exemplary material here, the variety of system parameters simultaneously accessible via Mössbauer spectroscopy can be demonstrated: Spectra recorded for particles of different sizes provided information on the particles’ Brownian dynamics, including the effect of the shell thickness on their hydrodynamic diameter, the presence (or absence) and ballpark frequency of Néel superspin relaxation as well as the particles’ average magnetic orientation in external magnetic fields. For single-core particles, this resulted in the observation of standard Langevin-type alignment behavior. Mössbauer spectra additionally provide information on the absolute degree of spin alignment, also allowing the determination of the degree of surface spin canting, which limits the maximum magnetization of ferrofluid samples. Analyzing the alignment behavior of agglomerated particles for comparison, we found a completely different trend, in which spin alignment was further hindered by the competition of easy magnetic directions. More complex particle dynamics are observed when going from ferrofluids to hybrid materials, where the particle mobility and alignability depends not only on the particles’ shape and material, but also on the matrices’ inner structure and the acting force-transfer mechanism between particles and the surrounding medium. In ferrohydrogels for example, particle mobility in terms of Mössbauer spectroscopy was probed for different crosslinker concentrations, resulting in widely different mesh-sizes of the polymer network and different degrees of freedom. While a decrease in particle dynamics is clearly visible in Mössbauer spectroscopy upon rising crosslinker density, complementary AC-susceptometry experiments indicated no Brownian motion on the expected timescales. This apparent contradiction could, however, be explained by the different timescales of the experiments, probing either the relatively free Brownian motion on ultrashort timescales or the more bound state preventing extensive particle motion by interaction with the trapping mesh walls in the millisecond regime. However, it should also be considered that the effect of the surroundings on particle rotation in AC-susceptometry may also differ from the variation in translational motion, probed by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Being sensitive mainly to translational motion also results in a wide range of particles to be accessible for studies via Mössbauer spectroscopy, including larger agglomerates embedded in polymers, intended for remote-controlled heating. Despite the agglomerates’ wide distribution in effective diameters, information on particle motion was found to be in good agreement with AC-susceptometry experiments at ultralow frequencies in and above the polymer melting region, while additionally giving insight into Néel relaxation of the individual nanoparticles and their magnetic structure.

Controlling the Oxidation of Magnetic and Electrically Conductive Solid-Solution Iron-Rhodium Nanoparticles Synthesized by Laser Ablation in Liquids

This study focuses on the synthesis of FeRh nanoparticles via pulsed laser ablation in liquid and on controlling the oxidation of the synthesized nanoparticles. Formation of monomodal γ-FeRh nanoparticles was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their composition confirmed by atom probe tomography (APT). For these particles, three major contributors to oxidation were analysed: (1) dissolved oxygen in the organic solvents, (2) the bound oxygen in the solvent and (3) oxygen in the atmosphere above the solvent. The decrease of oxidation for optimized ablation conditions was confirmed through energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Furthermore, the time dependence of oxidation was monitored for dried FeRh nanoparticles powders using ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy (FMR). By magnetophoretic separation, B2-FeRh nanoparticles could be extracted from the solution and characteristic differences of nanostrand formation between γ-FeRh and B2-FeRh nanoparticles were observed.

Scale-dependent particle diffusivity and apparent viscosity in polymer solutions as probed by dynamic magnetic nanorheology

In several upcoming rheological approaches, including methods of micro- and nanorheology, the measurement geometry is of critical impact on the interpretation of the results. The relative size of the probe objects employed (as compared to the intrinsic length scales of the sample to be investigated) becomes of crucial importance, and there is increasing interest to investigate the dynamic processes and mobility in nanostructured materials. A combination of different rheological approaches based on the rotation of magnetically blocked nanoprobes is used to systematically investigate the size-dependent diffusion behavior in aqueous poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) solutions with special attention paid to the relation of probe size to characteristic length scales within the polymer solutions. We employ two types of probe particles: nickel rods of hydrodynamic length L_h between 200 nm and 650 nm, and cobalt ferrite spheres with diameter d_h between 13 nm and 23 nm, and examine the influence of particle size and shape on the nanorheological information obtained in model polymer solutions based on two related, dynamic-magnetic approaches. The results confirm that as long as the investigated solutions are not entangled, and the particles are much larger than the macromolecular correlation length, a good accordance between macroscopic and nanoscopic results, whereas a strong size-dependent response is observed in cases where the particles are of similar size or smaller than the radius of gyration R_g or the correlation length ξ of the polymer solution.

Biocompatible Magnetic Fluids of Co-Doped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Tunable Magnetic Properties

Magnetite (Fe3O4) particles with a diameter around 10 nm have a very low coercivity (Hc) and relative remnant magnetization (Mr/Ms), which is unfavorable for magnetic fluid hyperthermia. In contrast, cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) particles of the same size have a very high Hc and Mr/Ms, which is magnetically too hard to obtain suitable specific heating power (SHP) in hyperthermia. For the optimization of the magnetic properties, the Fe2+ ions of magnetite were substituted by Co2+ step by step, which results in a Co doped iron oxide inverse spinel with an adjustable Fe2+ substitution degree in the full range of pure iron oxide up to pure cobalt ferrite. The obtained magnetic nanoparticles were characterized regarding their structural and magnetic properties as well as their cell toxicity. The pure iron oxide particles showed an average size of 8 nm, which increased up to 12 nm for the cobalt ferrite. For ferrofluids containing the prepared particles, only a limited dependence of Hc and Mr/Ms on the Co content in the particles was found, which confirms a stable dispersion of the particles within the ferrofluid. For dry particles, a strong correlation between the Co content and the resulting Hc and Mr/Ms was detected. For small substitution degrees, only a slight increase in Hc was found for the increasing Co content, whereas for a substitution of more than 10% of the Fe atoms by Co, a strong linear increase in Hc and Mr/Ms was obtained. Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed predominantly Fe3+ in all samples, while also verifying an ordered magnetic structure with a low to moderate surface spin canting. Relative spectral areas of Mössbauer subspectra indicated a mainly random distribution of Co2+ ions rather than the more pronounced octahedral site-preference of bulk CoFe2O4. Cell vitality studies confirmed no increased toxicity of the Co-doped iron oxide nanoparticles compared to the pure iron oxide ones. Magnetic heating performance was confirmed to be a function of coercivity as well. The here presented non-toxic magnetic nanoparticle system enables the tuning of the magnetic properties of the particles without a remarkable change in particles size. The found heating performance is suitable for magnetic hyperthermia application.

Magnetic Properties and Mössbauer Spectroscopy of Fe3O4/CoFe2O4 Nanorods

Fe₃O₄/CoFe₂O₄ nanorods were obtained via a simple seed-mediated synthesis. Nanorods were used as seeds to grow CoFe₂O₄ by thermal codecomposition of the cobalt(II) and iron(III) acetylacetonate precursors. The growth process was monitored by electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), and the resulting nanorods were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction analysis and IR and Raman spectroscopy. Magnetometry and AC susceptometry studies revealed a distribution of Néel relaxation times with an average blocking temperature of 140 K and a high-field magnetization of 42 Am²/kg. Complementarily recorded ⁵⁷Fe-Mössbauer spectra were consistent with the Fe₃O₄/CoFe₂O₄ spinel structure and exhibited considerable signs of spin frustration, which was correlated to the internal and surface structure of the nanorods.

Magnetic response of FeRh to static and dynamic disorder

This study shows the similarity of the thermally-driven (dynamic disorder) and structural disorder-driven (static disorder) magnetic phase transition in B2-FeRh.

Size effects on rotational particle diffusion in complex fluids as probed by Magnetic Particle Nanorheology

Rheological approaches based on micro- or nanoscopic probe objects are of interest due to the low volume requirement, the option of spatially resolved probing, and the minimal-invasive nature often connected to such probes. For the study of microstructured systems or biological environments, such methods show potential for investigating the local, size-dependent diffusivity and particle-matrix interactions. For the latter, the relative length scale of the used probes compared to the size of the structural units of the matrix becomes relevant. In this study, a rotational-dynamic approach based on Magnetic Particle Nanorheology (MPN) is used to extract size- and frequency-dependent nanorheological properties by using an otherwise well-established polymer model system. We use magnetically blocked CoFe2O4 nanoparticles as tracers and systematically vary their hydrodynamic size by coating them with a silica shell. On the polymer side, we employ aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by varying molar mass M and volume fraction φ. The complex Brownian relaxation behavior of the tracer particles in solutions of systematically varied composition is investigated by means of AC susceptometry (ACS), and the results provide access to frequency dependent rheological properties. The size-dependent particle diffusivity is evaluated based on theoretical descriptions and macroscopic measurements. The results allow the classification of the investigated compositions into three regimes, taking into account the probe particle size and the length scales of the polymer solution. While a fuzzy cross-over is indicated between the well-known macroscopic behavior and structurally dominated spectra, where the hydrodynamic radius is equal to the radius of gyration of the polymer (rh ∼ Rg), the frequency-related scaling behavior is dominated by the correlation length ξ respectively by the tube diameter a in entangled solutions for rh < Rg.

Extracting the Dynamic Magnetic Contrast in Time-Resolved X-ray Transmission Microscopy

Using a time-resolved detection scheme in scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), we measured element resolved ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) at microwave frequencies up to 10 GHz and a spatial resolution down to 20 nm at two different synchrotrons. We present different methods to separate the contribution of the background from the dynamic magnetic contrast based on the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) effect. The relative phase between the GHz microwave excitation and the X-ray pulses generated by the synchrotron, as well as the opening angle of the precession at FMR can be quantified. A detailed analysis for homogeneous and inhomogeneous magnetic excitations demonstrates that the dynamic contrast indeed behaves as the usual XMCD effect. The dynamic magnetic contrast in time-resolved STXM has the potential be a powerful tool to study the linear and nonlinear, magnetic excitations in magnetic micro- and nano-structures with unique spatial-temporal resolution in combination with element selectivity.

Europium Cyclooctatetraene Nanowire Carpets: A Low-Dimensional, Organometallic, and Ferromagnetic Insulator

We investigate the magnetic and electronic properties of europium cyclooctatetraene (EuCot) nanowires by means of low-temperature X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS). The EuCot nanowires are prepared in situ on a graphene surface. STS measurements identify EuCot as an insulator with a minority band gap of 2.3 eV. By means of Eu M_5,4 edge XMCD, orbital and spin magnetic moments of (-0.1 ± 0.3)μ_B and (+7.0 ± 0.6)μ_B, respectively, were determined. Field-dependent measurements of the XMCD signal at the Eu M₅ edge show hysteresis for grazing X-ray incidence at 5 K, thus confirming EuCot as a ferromagnetic material. Our density functional theory calculations reproduce the experimentally observed minority band gap. Modeling the experimental results theoretically, we find that the effective interatomic exchange interaction between Eu atoms is on the order of millielectronvolts, that magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy is roughly half as big, and that dipolar energy is approximately ten times lower.

In-Field Orientation and Dynamics of Ferrofluids Studied by Mössbauer Spectroscopy

By studying the response behavior of ferrofluids of 6-22 nm maghemite nanoparticles in glycerol solution exposed to external magnetic fields, we demonstrate the ability of Mössbauer spectroscopy to access a variety of particle dynamics and static magnetic particle characteristics at the same time, offering an extensive characterization of ferrofluids for in-field applications; field-dependent particle alignment and particle mobility in terms of Brownian motion have been extracted simultaneously from a series of Mössbauer spectra for single-core particles as well as for particle agglomerates. Additionally, information on Néel superspin relaxation and surface spin frustration could be directly inferred from this analysis. Parameters regarding Brownian particle dynamics, as well as Néel-type relaxation behavior, obtained via Mössbauer spectroscopy, have been verified by complementary AC-susceptometry experiments, modulating the AC-field amplitude, and using an extended frequency range of 10^-1 to 10⁶ Hz, while field-dependent particle alignment has been cross-checked via magnetometry.

Effect of substrate orientation on local magnetoelectric coupling in bi-layered multiferroic thin films

In this study we explore the prospect of strain-mediated magnetoelectric coupling in CoFe2O4-BaTiO3 bi-layers as a function of different interfacial boundary conditions. Pulsed laser deposition fabricated thin films on Nb:SrTiO3(100) and Nb:SrTiO3(111) single crystal substrates were characterized in terms of their peculiarities related to the structure-property relationship. Despite the homogeneous phase formation in both films, transmission electron microscopy showed that the bi-layers on Nb:SrTiO3(100) exhibit a higher number of crystallographic defects when compared to the films on Nb:SrTiO3(111). This signifies an intrinsic relationship of the defects and the substrate orientation. To analyze the consequences of these defects on the overall magnetoelectric coupling of the bi-layered films, piezoresponse force microscopy was performed in situ with an applied magnetic field. The local magnetic field dependence of the piezoresponse was obtained using principal component analysis. A detailed analysis of this dependence led to a conclusion that the bi-layers on Nb:SrTiO3(111) exhibit better strain-transfer characteristics between the magnetic and the piezoelectric layer than those which were deposited on Nb:SrTiO3(100). These strain transfer characteristics correlate well with the interface quality and the defect concentration. This study suggests that in terms of overall magnetoelectric coupling, the Nb:SrTiO3(111) grown bi-layers are expected to outperform their Nb:SrTiO3(100) grown counterparts.