DC and AC Measurements of Magnetite Nanoparticulates and Implications for Nonlinear Response

Abstract

AbstractThis paper discusses preparation, characterization and measurement of linear DC and AC magnetic properties of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (size ranges of 7-50 nm and 5 microns) and polymer composites of those particulates. Selected data and analysis are taken from the PhD thesis of Liong [1]. The goal of this research is to obtain magnetic data, specifically magnetization, anisotropy and coercivity as functions of particle size. These will be used as inputs to non linear magnetic simulations and in planning for future nonlinear magnetic measurements. Magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical coprecipitation, a method that allowed for the production of samples in gram quantities. Vibrating sample magnetometry was used to measure the room-temperature DC magnetization and coercivity of the particulates. Coaxial line impedance measurements were used to measure low frequency and dispersive AC permeability of Fe3O4–polymer composites from 1 Megahertz to 10 Gigahertz. AC data are applied to infer particulate magnetic susceptibility and anisotropy field change with particle size. Particle size was calculated from XTD data and supported by TEM images.Measured DC saturation magnetization and coercivity decreased with particle dimension while anisotropy was calculated to increase. Magnetization data are consistent with models that calculate nanoparticle magnetization as a volumetric average of a spherical bulk material core and a passive outer shell. The shell thickness was calculated at 0.84 nm, very near one lattice constant of bulk Fe3O4, 0.8394 nm. Composites containing particulate volume fractions less than 20% were fabricated. Effective media theory was applied to measured AC composite permeability to extract particle magnetic properties and thereby anisotropy field, which increased by an order of magnitude from the bulk. Permeability decreased with particulate size.