title: One-pot synthesis and characterization of size-controlled bimagnetic FePt-iron oxide heterodimer nanocrystals.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Scuola Superiore ISUFI, University of Salento, Distretto Tecnologico ISUFI, via per Arnesano km 5, I-73100 Lecce, Italy. albert.figuerola@qi.ub.es
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figuerola
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Corato
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falqui
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Micotti
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lascialfari
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cingolani
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: Pantaleo Davide
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Cozzoli
authors.forename: Liberato
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manna
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D014867:Water; C000499:ferric oxide; D010984:Platinum; D007501:Iron