Observations of oxidation mechanisms and kinetics in faceted FeCo magnetic nanoparticles

(Fe50Co50)(97)V2Nb1 nanoparticles were synthesized in an induction plasma torch and oxidized isochronally at temperatures between room temperature (RT) and 900 degrees C. The particles exhibited three stages of oxidation present at different temperatures. The initial oxide layer was nearly Co-free, beginning at 3 nm at RT, and Co appeared to oxidize separately from the iron. Iron cations were determined to be the mobile species during oxidation, yielding a progressively more Co-rich core as oxidation progressed, decreasing from an average diameter of 42 to 25 nm, while the oxide tripled in size. At 350 degrees C, the particles exhibited a less dense core, and at 900 degrees C the particles were observed to have changed morphology completely with some sintering, forming completely oxidized particles with an average diameter three times the as received size. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3334197]