title: A two-dimensional magnetic hybrid material based on intercalation of a cationic Prussian blue analog in montmorillonite nanoclay.
abstract: A highly ordered two-dimensional hybrid magnetic nanocomposite has been prepared by synthesizing and intercalating a new cationic aluminum-hydroxy ferric ferrocyanide compound into a cation-adsorbing nanoclay (montmorillonite). Chemical and structural properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoemission, and Mössbauer spectroscopies. Elemental analysis was based on proton-induced gamma ray emission and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy data, N/C elemental ratios, and cation-exchange capacity measurements. Magnetic properties were studied by SQUID magnetometry. The results suggest: (i) that the cationic Prussian blue analog comprises Al-hydroxy cations embedded into a monolayer thick two-dimensional ferric ferrocyanide array; and (ii) that the clay-Prussian blue nanohybrid consists of such arrays stacked between the clay layers. The latter material orders ferromagnetically at approximately 5K showing a hundred times higher remanence than that of the starting material, soluble Prussian blue (ammonium ferric ferrocyanide).
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. dgourni@cc.uoi.gr
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gournis
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papachristodoulou
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maccallini
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rudolf
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karakassides
authors.forename: Dimitrios T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Karamanis
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sage
authors.forename: Thomas T M
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Palstra
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Colomer
authors.forename: Konstantinos D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Papavasileiou
authors.forename: Vasilios S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Melissas
authors.forename: Nicolaos H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Gangas