A two-dimensional magnetic hybrid material based on intercalation of a cationic Prussian blue analog in montmorillonite nanoclay.
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).
Gournis
Dimitrios
D
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. dgourni@cc.uoi.gr
Papachristodoulou
Christina
C
Maccallini
Enrico
E
Rudolf
Petra
P
Karakassides
Michael A
MA
Karamanis
Dimitrios T
DT
Sage
Marie-Hélène
MH
Palstra
Thomas T M
TT
Colomer
Jean-François
JF
Papavasileiou
Konstantinos D
KD
Melissas
Vasilios S
VS
Gangas
Nicolaos H
NH