Direct synthesis and easy axis alignment of L1-FePt nanoparticles

Abstract

Partially ordered Fe53Pt47 nanoparticles with size around 8nm were prepared by the simultaneous decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl and platinum acetylacetonate. The high boiling point chemical, hexadecylamine, was used as a solvent, and 1-adamantanecarboxylic acid was used as a stabilizer. The reflux temperature of the solution could exceed 360°C, where disordered FePt particles could be partially transformed into the ordered L10 phase. A nonmagnetic mechanical stirrer was used in order to avoid agglomeration of the fct-FePt particles during synthesis. The particles were dispersed in toluene and films of the particles were cast onto silicon wafers from the solution. X-ray diffraction patterns of as-made samples showed weak superlattice peaks, indicating partial chemical ordering of the Fe53Pt47 particles. The room-temperature hysteresis loop of the as-made sample reveals a small coercivity (∼600Oe) because of thermal fluctuations; however, the loop is wide open and hard to saturate. The remanence coercivity from the dcd curve is about 2.5kOe, which is four times larger than the hysteresis coercivity. The large remanent to hysteresis coercivity ratio and the shapes of the hysteresis loop and dcd curve suggest a broad distribution of anisotropies in the partially ordered particles. By coating the ordered nanoparticles with a polymer binder, the easy axis of the particles could be aligned under an external field.