Effect of elevated annealing temperature on electrical conductivity and magnetic properties of iron phthalocyanine polymer

A novel iron phthaocyanine (FePc) polymer was prepared via the polymerization of phthalonitrile with ferrous chloride and investigated for morphology, crystallinity, conductivity, dielectric and magnetic properties at different annealing temperatures from 300 degrees C to 700 degrees C. The results showed that the elevating annealing temperature could significantly change the morphology and microstructure of FePc polymer, leading to the formation of the turbostratic carbon, alpha-Fe phase and cemetite, and enhance electrical conductivity and magnetic properties. It was worth noting that the dramatic transition of conductivity, dielectric and magnetic properties appeared when the annealing temperature was 550 degrees C. The electrical conductivity of the samples exhibited a transition of electrical behavior from an insulator to semiconductor. And the saturation and remanent magnetization of the annealed FePc polymer increased from 0.24 to 6.18 emu/g and from 0.03 to 2.38 emu/g, respectively. The pyrolysis of FePc polymer annealed at high temperature was believed to become a good way to get electrical or magnetic materials.