One-pot synthesis and characterization of size-controlled bimagnetic FePt-iron oxide heterodimer nanocrystals.
A one-pot, two-step colloidal strategy to prepare bimagnetic hybrid nanocrystals (HNCs), comprising size-tuned fcc FePt and inverse spinel cubic iron oxide domains epitaxially arranged in a heterodimer configuration, is described. The HNCs have been synthesized in a unique surfactant environment by temperature-driven sequential reactions, involving the homogeneous nucleation of FePt seeds and the subsequent heterogeneous growth of iron oxide. This self-regulated mechanism offers high versatility in the control of the geometric features of the resulting heterostructures, circumventing the use of more elaborate seeded growth techniques. It has been found that, as a consequence of the exchange coupling between the two materials, the HNCs exhibit tunable single-phase-like magnetic behavior, distinct from that of their individual components. In addition, the potential of the heterodimers as effective contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging techniques has been examined.
Figuerola
Albert
A
Scuola Superiore ISUFI, University of Salento, Distretto Tecnologico ISUFI, via per Arnesano km 5, I-73100 Lecce, Italy. albert.figuerola@qi.ub.es
Fiore
Angela
A
Di Corato
Riccardo
R
Falqui
Andrea
A
Giannini
Cinzia
C
Micotti
Edoardo
E
Lascialfari
Alessandro
A
Corti
Maurizio
M
Cingolani
Roberto
R
Pellegrino
Teresa
T
Cozzoli
Pantaleo Davide
PD
Manna
Liberato
L
D001671:Biochemistry / Q000379:methods; D019281:Dimerization; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008280:Magnetics; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D005290:Ferric Compounds; D014867:Water; C000499:ferric oxide; D010984:Platinum; D007501:Iron