Magnetic phase transitions in nanostructures induced by shear stress under high pressure

Abstract

Magnetic phase transitions of the first and second order were revealed by Mossbauer spectroscopy in nanosystems of α- and γ-ferric oxides and metallic europium subjected to shear stress (240°) under high pressure (20 kbar). For α- and γ-ferric oxide nanoclusters, the Curie (Neel) points decreased to 300 K, whereas for nanostructured europium the Neel point increased from ∼90 to 100 K. The thermodynamic model of magnetic phase transitions predicting a change in the character of magnetic phase transitions and a decrease (increase) in the critical Neel (Curie) points in nanoclusters was developed. The type of magnetic phase transitions and the change in the critical points were caused by defects in nanoclusters, whose maximum concentration was observed for the clusters with the 20—50 nm size range.