Abstract
The manuscript reports the investigation of spin disorder in maghemite nanoparticles of different shape by a combination of polarized small-angle neutron scattering (SANSPOL) and nuclear forward scattering (NFS) techniques. Both methods are sensitive to magnetization on the nanoscale. SANSPOL allows for investigation of the particle morphology and spatial magnetization distribution and NFS extends this nanoscale information to the atomic scale, namely the orientation of the hyperfine field experienced by the iron nuclei. The studied nanospheres and nanocubes with diameters of 7.4 nm and 10.6 nm, respectively, exhibit a significant spin disorder. This effect leads to a reduction of the magnetization to 44% and 58% of the theoretical maghemite bulk value, observed consistently by both techniques.
Highlights
Magnetic nanomaterials are nowadays used in a wide range of applications, e.g., spintronics, cell labelling for magnetic separation, magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement, drug delivery or magnetic hyperthermia[1, 2, 3]
Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANSPOL) and Nuclear Forward Scattering (NFS). These methods give access to different information, as SANSPOL is sensitive to the spatially resolved magnetization distribution and NFS is indirectly sensitive to the spin orientation of iron atoms influencing the nuclear hyperfine field in the nanomaterial
Our results indicate a significant degree of spin disorder in the studied nanoparticles, observed with both techniques, in agreement with macroscopic measurements and the literature
Summary
Magnetic nanomaterials are nowadays used in a wide range of applications, e.g., spintronics, cell labelling for magnetic separation, magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement, drug delivery or magnetic hyperthermia[1, 2, 3]. These methods give access to different information, as SANSPOL is sensitive to the spatially resolved magnetization distribution and NFS is indirectly sensitive to the spin orientation of iron atoms influencing the nuclear hyperfine field in the nanomaterial.
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