Amphiphlic Media for nPs Syntheses
We carried out a detailed investigation of low temperature solution synthesis targeting homogenous composition of iron platinum nanocolloids (nCs).
| The high magnetic anisotropy of FePt (107 J/m3 ) makes FePt an ideal candidate for technological applications ranging from ultra high density recording media to bio-medical applications. In contrast to more usual thermal decomposition protocol, room temperature syntheses offer an attractive pathway that could dramatically simplify nCs fabrication. However, a major hurdle is the inhomogeneous composition of the products. In collaboration with Glasgow University, we have investigated the role of amphiphilic molecules, precursor ions and reducing agents in nC synthesis. Parameters that prevent the formation of chemically homogeneous nCs were identified by ICP-OES, XRD, TEM, nanometric EDX, and SQUID magnetometry. These limiting parameters were then tuned to successfully increase the insertion of the iron in the Fex Pt1-x nCs. The limiting parameters and strategy we highlight here should be applicable to other alloys fabricated by co-reduction protocol. |
Shematic of a water pool stabilized by amphiphilic molecules |
Work carried out by:
Shu Chen,a,b Donald MacLaren,c Richard Baker,b John Chapman,c David Cole-Hamilton,b Stephen Lee,a Pascal André a*
a
School of Physics & Astronomy (SUPA), University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS
b
School of Chemistry (EaStChem), University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST
c
Department of Physics & Astronomy (SUPA), University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ