Spherical magnetic nanoparticles fabricated by laser target evaporation

Magnetic nanoparticles of iron oxide (MNPs) were prepared by the laser target evaporation technique (LTE). The main focus was on the fabrication of de-aggregated spherical maghemite MNPs with a narrow size distribution and enhanced effective magnetization. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, magnetization and microwave absorption measurements were comparatively analyzed. The shape of the MNPs (mean diameter of 9 nm) was very close to being spherical. The lattice constant of the crystalline phase was substantially smaller than that of stoichiometric magnetite but larger than the lattice constant of maghemite. High value of Ms up to 300 K was established. The 300 K ferromagnetic resonance signal is a single line located at a field expected from spherical magnetic particles with negligible magnetic anisotropy. The maximum obtained concentration of water based ferrofluid was as high as 10g/l of magnetic material. In order to understand the temperature and field dependence of MNPs magnetization, we invoke the core-shell model. The nanoparticles is said to have a ferrimagnetic core (roughly 70 percent of the caliper size) while the shell consists of surface layers in which the spins are frozen having no long range magnetic order. The core-shell interactions were estimated in frame of random anisotropy model. The obtained assembly of de-aggregated nanoparticles is an example of magnetic nanofluid stable under ambient conditions even without an electrostatic stabilizer.