Structure effects on the magnetism of AgCo nanoparticles

Fabrication by colloidal chemistry and an extended structural and magnetic investigation are reported for AgCo bimetallic colloidal nanoparticles using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. The AgCo nanoparticles exhibit a core–shell structure, with a face-centred cubic Ag core and a hexagonal close-packed Co (either complete or partial) shell. A bimodal size distribution of superparamagnetic (SPM) nanoparticles together with a small fraction of nanoparticles ferromagnetic at room temperature has been determined and their influence on magnetic properties is discussed. The arrays of self-assembled nanoparticles exhibit a lack of saturation of magnetisation and typical SPM behaviour. The annealing of the arrays greatly enhances the ferromagnetic character of the samples. Finally, the observed magnetic behaviour of the AgCo nanoparticles is correlated with surface spin disorder induced by the particular structural features of the sample, high fraction of magnetic atoms in surface states and finite-size effects.