Exchange biasing of single-domain Ninanoparticles spontaneously grown inanantiferromagnetic MnO matrix

Daniel P. Shoemaker, Madeleine Grossman, Ram Seshadri

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Exchange biased composites of ferromagnetic single-domain Ni nanoparticles embedded within and on the surface of large grains of MnO have been prepared by the reduction of NixMn3-xO4 monoliths in flowing 5%H2/N2. The Ni precipitates are 20-30nm in extent, and the majority are completely encased within MnO. The manner in which the Ni nanoparticles are spontaneously formed - starting from a single homogeneous phase - ensures a high degree of dispersion of the Ni and large Ni/MnO interface/volume ratios. The interfaces between ferromagnetic Ni and antiferromagnetic MnO result in magnetic exchange bias below the Néel temperature of MnO. A threefold change in exchange bias fields (from 40 to 120Oe at 5K) is observed, depending on the starting Ni content x in the precursor NixMn3-xO4, with smaller x values - fewer or smaller Ni nanoparticles - resulting in larger exchange fields. The exchange bias leads to significant hardening of the magnetization, with coercive fields scaling nearly linearly with the exchange field. The strategies outlined here suggest new and simple routes for creating highly interfacial, functional biphasic composites of nanoparticles embedded within or supported on an oxide matrix.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number195219
JournalJournal of Physics Condensed Matter
Volume20
Issue number19
DOIs
StatePublished - May 14 2008
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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