title: Synthesis and magnetic properties of silica-coated FePt nanocrystals.
abstract: Colloidal FePt nanocrystals, 6 nm in diameter, were synthesized and then coated with silica (SiO2) shells. The silica shell thickness could be varied from 10 to 25 nm. As-made FePt@SiO2 nanocrystals have low magnetocrystalline anisotropy due to a compositionally disordered FePt core. When films of FePt@SiO2 particles are annealed under hydrogen at 650 degrees C or above, the FePt core transforms to the compositionally ordered L1(0) phase, and superparamagnetic blocking temperatures exceeding room temperature are obtained. The SiO2 shell prevents FePt coalescence at annealing temperatures up to approximately 850 degrees C. Annealing under air or nitrogen does not induce the FePt phase transition. The silica shell limits magnetic dipole coupling between the FePt nanocrystals; however, low temperature (5 K) and room temperature magnetization scans show slightly constricted hysteresis loops with coercivities that decrease systematically with decreased shell thickness, possibly resulting from differences in magnetic dipole coupling between particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Materials Institute, and Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1062, USA.
authors.forename: Doh C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Frederic V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Mikulec
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pelaez
authors.forename: Bonil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Korgel