H. Srikanth

Magnetocaloric effect and refrigerant capacity in charge-ordered manganites

The influence of first- and second-order magnetic phase transitions on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and refrigerant capacity (RC) of charge-ordered Pr0.5Sr0.5MnO3 has been investigated. The system undergoes a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition at TC∼255 K followed by a ferromagnetic charge-disordered to antiferromagnetic charge-ordered transition at TCO∼165 K. While the first-order magnetic transition (FOMT) at TCO induces a larger MCE (6.8 J/kg K) limited to a narrower temperature range resulting in a smaller RC (168 J/kg), the second-order magnetic transition at TC induces a smaller MCE (3.2 J/kg K) but spreads over a broader temperature range resulting in a larger RC (215 J/kg). In addition, large magnetic and thermal hysteretic losses associated with the FOMT below TCO are detrimental to an efficient magnetic RC, whereas these effects are negligible below TC because of the second-order nature of this transition. These results are of practical importance in assessing the usefulness of charge-o...

Magnetoimpedance biosensor for Fe3O4 nanoparticle intracellular uptake evaluation

Iron oxide (Fe3O4) nonspecific nanoparticles of 30nm are embedded inside human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells by intracellular uptake with a concentration of ∼105 particles/cell. An amorphous ribbon of Co64.5Fe2.5Cr3Si15B15 exhibiting large magnetoimpedance (MI) serves as the sensing element. The presence of fringing fields of the nanoparticles changes the superposition of the constant applied field and the alternating field created by a current flowing through the ribbon that can be detected as a change in MI. This response is clearly dependent on the presence of the magnetic nanoparticles inside the cells and on the value of the external field.

Evidence of a canted magnetic state in self-doped LaMnO3+δ (δ = 0.04): a magnetocaloric study

We report a detailed investigation of the magnetocaloric properties of self-doped polycrystalline LaMnO(3+δ) with δ = 0.04. Due to the self-doping effect, the system exhibits a magnetic transition from a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic-like canted magnetic state (CMS) at ~120 K, which is associated with an appreciably large magnetocaloric effect (MCE). The CMS is an inhomogeneous magnetic phase developing due to a steady growth of antiferromagnetic correlation in its predominant ferromagnetic state below ∼120 K. The stabilization of CMS in this material is concluded from a comprehensive analysis of magnetocaloric data using Landau theory, which is in excellent agreement with our neutron diffraction study. The magnetic entropy change versus temperature curves for different applied fields collapse into a single curve, revealing a universal behavior of MCE. Our studies suggest that investigation of MCE is an effective technique to acquire fundamental understanding about the basic magnetic structure of a system with complex competing interactions.

Anisotropy effects in magnetic hyperthermia: A comparison between spherical and cubic exchange-coupled FeO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Spherical and cubic exchange-coupled FeO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles, with different FeO:Fe3O4 ratios, have been prepared by a thermal decomposition method to probe anisotropy effects on their heating efficiency. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the nanoparticles are composed of FeO and Fe3O4 phases, with an average size of ∼20 nm. Magnetometry and transverse susceptibility measurements show that the effective anisotropy field is 1.5 times larger for the cubes than for the spheres, while the saturation magnetization is 1.5 times larger for the spheres than for the cubes. Hyperthermia experiments evidence higher values of the specific absorption rate (SAR) for the cubes as compared to the spheres (200 vs. 135 W/g at 600 Oe and 310 kHz). These observations point to an important fact that the saturation magnetization is not a sole factor in determining the SAR and the heating efficiency of the magnetic nanoparticles can be improved by tuning their effective anisotropy.

Detection of low-concentration superparamagnetic nanoparticles using an integrated radio frequency magnetic biosensor

Improving the sensitivity of existing biosensors for highly sensitive detection of magnetic nanoparticles as biomarkers in biological systems is an important and challenging task. Here, we propose a method of combining the magneto-resistance (MR), magneto-reactance (MX), and magneto-impedance (MI) effects to develop an integrated magnetic biosensor with tunable and enhanced sensitivity. A systematic study of the 7 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticle concentration dependence of MR, MX, and MI ratios of a soft ferromagnetic amorphous ribbon shows that these ratios first increase sharply with increase in particle concentration (0–124 nM) and then remain almost unchanged for higher concentrations (124 nM–1240 nM). The MX-based biosensor shows the highest sensitivity. With this biosensor, ∼2.1 × 1011 7 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles can be detected over a detection area of 2.0 × 105 μm2, which is comparable to a superconducting quantum interference device biosensor that detects the presence of ∼1 × 108 11 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles ove...

Magnetic studies of crystal-engineered molecular nanostructures (invited)

Magnetic studies of dimeric copper complexes reveal interesting and predictable cooperative responses governed by the underlying topological lattice configurations. Temperature dependent susceptibility in several compounds measured with a physical property measurement system indicates predominantly antiferromagnetic exchange coupling. Both intra- and interdimer interactions are found to be important and the data could be fit well with a modified Bleaney–Bowers model from which these interaction parameters are extracted. Crystal engineering methods have been used to generate open and closed framework molecular nanostructures. A Kagome lattice configuration with the Cu(II) dimers arranged using triangular symmetry yields distinct hysteresis loops that are consistent with the occurrence of weak ferromagnetism.

Magnetocaloric effect and critical behavior in Pr0.5Sr0.5MnO3: an analysis of the validity of the Maxwell relation and the nature of the phase transitions.

The Maxwell relation, the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, and a non-iterative method to obtain the critical exponents have been used to characterize the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and the nature of the phase transitions in Pr0.5Sr0.5MnO3, which undergoes a second-order paramagnetic to ferromagnetic (PM-FM) transition at TC ~ 247 K, and a first-order ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic (FM-AFM) transition at TN ~ 165 K. We find that around the second-order PM-FM transition, the MCE (as represented by the magnetic entropy change, ΔSM) can be precisely determined from magnetization measurements using the Maxwell relation. However, around the first-order FM-AFM transition, values of ΔSM calculated with the Maxwell relation deviate significantly from those calculated by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation at the magnetic field and temperature ranges where a conversion between the AFM and FM phases occurs. A detailed analysis of the critical exponents of the second-order PM-FM transition allows us to correlate the short-range type magnetic interactions with the MCE. Using the Arrott-Noakes equation of state with the appropriate values of the critical exponents, the field- and temperature-dependent magnetization [Formula: see text] curves, and hence the [Formula: see text] curves, have been simulated and compared with experimental data. A good agreement between the experimental and simulated data has been found in the vicinity of the Curie temperature TC, but a noticeable discrepancy is present for [Formula: see text]. This discrepancy arises mainly from the coexistence of AFM and FM phases and the presence of ferromagnetic clusters in the AFM matrix.

Synthesis and magnetic properties of core/shell FeO/Fe3O4 nano-octopods

We report the synthesis and magnetic properties of core/shell FeO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles with an average size of 30 nm in a complex quasi-octopod shape. FeO nanoparticles were synthesized by a wet chemical synthesis route followed by partial oxidation to form core/shell structured FeO/Fe3O4 octopods. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of iron oxide phases and the formed core/shell FeO/Fe3O4 morphology. Magnetic measurements revealed two distinct temperatures corresponding to the thermally activated Verwey transition (TV ∼ 120 K) of the ferrimagnetic Fe3O4 shell and the Neel temperature (TN ∼ 230 K) of the antiferromagnetic FeO core. The nanoparticles exhibited a strong horizontal shift in the field-cooled hysteresis loop (the so-called exchange bias (EB) effect) accompanied by enhanced coercivity. The Meiklejohn-Bean model has been implemented to quantify the amount of frozen spins that locate at the interface between FeO and Fe3O4 and are responsible for the observ...

FeCo nanowires with enhanced heating powers and controllable dimensions for magnetic hyperthermia

A detailed study of the magnetic properties and heating capacities of electrodeposited FeCo nanowires with varying lengths (2–40 μm) and diameters (100 and 300 nm) is reported. We find that specific absorption rate (SAR) increases rapidly with increasing wire length up to 10 μm, followed by a gradual increase for larger lengths. Magnetic and hyperthermia measurements have revealed the important effect of dipolar interactions between the nanowires on their magnetic and inductive heating responses. Both calorimetric and AC magnetometry methods consistently show that the physical movement contribution of the nanowires to the SAR is small, and that for applied fields exceeding the coercive field, the nanowires tend to align parallel to the field, thus enhancing the SAR. Maximum SAR values of ∼1500 W/g have been achieved for the largest wires at H = 300 Oe and f = 310 kHz.

Particle blocking and carrier fluid freezing effects on the magnetic properties of Fe3O4-based ferrofluids

We report the systematic dc and ac susceptibility studies on the particle blocking and carrier fluid freezing effects on the magnetization and relaxation processes in two different ferrofluids composed of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (mean size of ∼14 nm) suspended in hexane and dodecane, which respectively have freezing temperatures below (178 K) and above (264 K) the blocking temperature of magnetic nanoparticles (∼200 K). Experimental results reveal that these effects play a key role in the formation of glasslike peaks and magnetic anomalies in ferrofluids. Quantitative fits of the frequency dependent ac susceptibility to the Vogel–Fulcher model τ=τo exp[Ea/k(T−To)] clearly indicate that the blocking of magnetic nanoparticles in the frozen state significantly affects the interparticle dipole-dipole interaction, causing characteristic spin-glass-like dynamics.We report the systematic dc and ac susceptibility studies on the particle blocking and carrier fluid freezing effects on the magnetization and relaxation processes in two different ferrofluids composed of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (mean size of ∼14 nm) suspended in hexane and dodecane, which respectively have freezing temperatures below (178 K) and above (264 K) the blocking temperature of magnetic nanoparticles (∼200 K). Experimental results reveal that these effects play a key role in the formation of glasslike peaks and magnetic anomalies in ferrofluids. Quantitative fits of the frequency dependent ac susceptibility to the Vogel–Fulcher model τ=τo exp[Ea/k(T−To)] clearly indicate that the blocking of magnetic nanoparticles in the frozen state significantly affects the interparticle dipole-dipole interaction, causing characteristic spin-glass-like dynamics.