Structural, magnetic and electrical investigations of Fe1─XMnX (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.39) alloy nanowires via electrodeposition in AAO templates

Abstract

The Fe1─XMnX (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.39) nanowire (NW) arrays were synthesized through anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template-based electrodeposition method. The elemental composition of the NWs was varied by changing the Mn-ions concentration in the electrochemical bath during electrodeposition. Energy Dispersive X-rays Spectroscopy (EDX) spectrums confirmed the Mn contents, that was increased in the NWs from 0 to 39 with respect to increase in Mn-ion concentration in the electrolyte. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns exhibited the NWs were crystallized into the body-centered cubic (bcc) structure. Furthermore, the lattice parameter of NWs decreased as Mn content increased in the NWs whereas the increasing trend in grain size was observed. The magnetic properties of NWs were determined by recording MH-loops at room temperature with applied magnetic field in parallel (∥) and perpendicular (⊥) direction to the long-axis of NWs. The MH-loops revealed the existence of strong magnetic anisotropy and anisotropy field (Hk) that was determined by the Anisotropy Field Distribution (AFD) method. A decreasing trend in the coercivity (Hc), saturation magnetization (Ms) and anisotropy field (Hk) was observed as a function of Mn contents in FeMn NWs. The ZFC-FC curves were also recorded with 1kOe applied magnetic field, which demonstrated the ferromagnetic behavior and exhibited the blocking temperature was increased (Fe NWs ~ 300 K, Fe0.82Mn0.18 NWs ~ 330 K, and Fe0.61Mn0.39 NWs > 350 K) with the increase of Mn content. Moreover, the conductivity and mobility of the NWs were also decreased that were analyzed through four-probe Hall techniques.