Magnetic and structural properties of Mg–Co nanostructures fabricated

Authors

E.M. Kirkpatrick, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, University of Nebraska -- LincolnFollow
S.-H. Kim, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
R.D. Rieke, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Date of this Version

April 1999

Comments

Published by American Institute of Physics. J. Applied Physics 85, 5375-5377 (1999). ©1999 American Institute of Physics. Permission to use. http://jap.aip.org/jap/.

Abstract

Reductive chemical synthesis is a versatile tool for fabricating elemental nanostructures; however, less work has been completed on understanding and controlling alloy formation. Magnetic Mg–Co and Mg–Co–C nanocomposites have been fabricated using a reductive chemical synthesis designed to produce highly active metals. The as-synthesized powder was annealed at temperatures from 150 to 650 °C. Samples were investigated using x-ray diffraction, alternating gradient force magnetometry, and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. X-ray diffraction indicates that the resulting structures are multiphase with MgCo₂, MgCo₃C0. ₅, fcc Co, Mg, MgO, and Li₂CO₃ present depending on annealing temperature. The temperature-dependent magnetization of the as-synthesized sample indicates ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic contributions. Increases in coercivity and remanance ratio with increasing annealing temperature are consistent with the formation and growth of small Co grains.