Advanced Functional Materials, Vol.17, No.14, 2278-2282, 2007
Synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetic properties of epsilon-InxFe2-xO3 nanorod-shaped magnets
A series of epsilon-InxFe2-xO3 nanorods are prepared by combining the reverse-micelle and the sol-gel methods. Metal replacement was achieved in the region of 0 <= x <= 0.24. The crystal structures are orthorhombic structures (space group: Pna2(1)), which are pyroelectric with an electric polarization along the c axis. The transmission electron microscopy images show that the particle sizes are (80 +/- 40) x (23 +/- 5) nm (x=0), (65 +/- 30) x (30 +/- 10) nm (x=0.12), and (80 +/- 40) x (35 +/- 15) nm (x=0.24). The magnetization versus temperature curves of the samples with x = 0, x = 0.12, and x = 0.24 show spontaneous magnetization with Curie temperatures of 495 K, 456 K, and 414 K, respectively. Their coercive fields at 300 K are 20 kOe (x = 0), 14 kOe (x = 0.12), and 9 kOe (x = 0.24). These samples show a spin reorientation with reorientation temperatures (T-p) of 102 K (x = 0), 149 K (x = 0.12), and 180 K (x = 0.24). In particular, the samples with x = 0.12 and x = 0.24 show antiferromagnetic behavior below T-p. This series of epsilon-InxFe2-xO3 is the first example of a pyroelectric material that exhibits a phase transition between ferrimagnetism and antiferromagnetism.