Compositional dependent morphology, structural and magnetic properties of Fe100−XCuX alloy nanowires via electrodeposition in AAO templates

Abstract

Fe100−XCuX alloy nanowire (NW) arrays with uniform diameter and length were synthesized in homogenous and well-ordered anodized aluminum oxide templates using alternating current electrochemical deposition technique. The structural morphology of templates and NWs was examined through scanning electron microscope, which clearly shows the diameter was from 50 to 65 and 50 to 56 nm, respectively, while the length of both was up to 10 µm. The formation of FeCu alloy NWs has been confirmed from energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The structural analysis was examined through X-ray diffraction technique, which confirmed its polycrystalline structure. The effect of Cu on grain size was measured by Debye–Scherrer formula that shows increasing order with increase of Cu at.% in the synthesis of Fe100─XCuX alloy NWs. The Fe-bcc peaks were completely suppressed as well as a shift was produced towards lower angle. Then bcc crystal structure of FeCu alloy NWs was observed along with Cu-fcc reflection planes. The coercivity (Hc) and squareness ( $${M_{\text{R}}}{\text{/}}{M_{\text{S}}}$$ ) were decreased with increase of Cu at.% (non-magnetic) that influenced the Fe100−XCuX NWs composition and magnetic properties. Cu, which is diamagnetic, with an atomic radius greater than Fe, suppresses the alignments of the magnetic moment of Fe (ferromagnetic) at high at.%. The large squareness along the NWs confirmed easy axis parallel to the wires.