Exploring the Effect of Co Doping in Fine Maghemite Nanoparticles

Nanosized spinel ferrites are the subject of increasing interest in the current landscape of nanotechnology due to their remarkable properties that make them suitable for a large range of applications, from catalysis to biomedicine. In C-substituted ferrite nanoparticles, XAFS allowed to investigate the Co ion distribution inside the lattice and to exclude the unexpected magnetic behaviour arises from differrent metal ion distribution.
E. Fantechi et al., J. Phys. Chem.  116, 8261 (2012).

The physical properties of ferrites strongly depend on the distribution of metal ions between the tetrahedral and the octahedral sites of their crystalline lattice. Therefore, in order to sustain the expected high technological impact, a deeper understanding is required of how the specific chemical and physical properties arise from the fine structural details and how they are modified by the composition and the size reduction to nanoscale. In Co-substituted ferrite nanoparticles XAFS has been used to this end. In particular, The XANES and EXAFS analysis show that the cation distribution is similiar in all the sample compositions and excludes that the non trivial megnetic behaviour arises from a  different metal ion distribution. This finding has great interest, especially in biomedical applications where Co ferrite is a much more efficient heat mediator and contrast agent than standard iron oxides, although its use is hampered by Co toxicity

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Exploring the Effect of Co Doping in Fine Maghemite Nanoparticles
E. Fantechi, G. Campo, D. Carta, A. Corrias, C. de Julián Fernández, D. Gatteschi, C. Innocenti,
F. Pineider, F. Rugi, and C. Sangregorio
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 116, 8261 (2012).
10.1021/jp300806j
Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 January 2013 13:33