Scaling laws and approximate expressions for the dynamic magnetic susceptibility of Brownian nanoparticles

Abstract We present simplified expressions for the out-of-phase component of the dynamic susceptibility χ ″ of lognormal-sized magnetic nanoparticles under Brownian rotation. These expressions are based on transforming the general integral functions used for χ ″ in the convolution of gaussian functions. χ ″ can thus be expressed as a sum of gaussians with parameters directly related to those of the size distribution and to the saturation magnetization. The gaussian fit of χ ″ ( ω ) (where ω is the ac field frequency) is a simpler way to determine these structural and magnetic parameters as it avoids fitting χ ″ ( ω ) to an integral function. The expressions derived for χ ″ suggest that χ ″ T data collapses in a ω η ( T ) / T scale (where T is the temperature and η the fluids viscosity), which is confirmed by numerical calculations. We also discuss the limits of validity of these approximations in real systems where both Neel and Brownian relaxation mechanisms coexist and we present further approximations for the relation of ω χ with the average volume (being ω χ the frequency at which χ ″ is maximum). The ω η ( T ) / T scale can be used to qualitatively evaluate the dominance of the Brownian relaxation mechanism.