title: Magnetic multi-granule nanoclusters: A model system that exhibits universal size effect of magnetic coercivity.
abstract: It is well known that the coercivity of magnetic nanomaterials increases up to a maximum and then decreases to zero with decreasing particle size. However, until now, no single synthesis method has been able to produce magnetic nanoparticles with a wide range of sizes, i.e., from 10 to 500 nm, in order to uncover the coercivity evolution. Here we report the characterization of magnetite (Fe3O4) multi-granule nanoclusters (MGNCs) to demonstrate the transitional behaviour of coercivity. The M-H curves indicate that our samples had a relatively high saturation magnetization (MS) value of ~70 emu/g and that the coercivity (Hc) increased to the maximum value of ~48 Oe until the nanoclusters reached a size of ~120 nm; the coercivity then gradually decreased to zero.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sung Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Myung Cha
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Ha
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Young Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Keun Kim