Unraveling Exchange Coupling in Ferrites Nano-Heterostructures

Small. 2024 Mar;20(10):e2304152. doi: 10.1002/smll.202304152. Epub 2023 Oct 27.

Abstract

The magnetic coupling of a set of SrFe12 O19 /CoFe2 O4 nanocomposites is investigated. Advanced electron microscopy evidences the structural coherence and texture at the interfaces of the nanostructures. The fraction of the lower anisotropy phase (CoFe2 O4 ) is tuned to assess the limits that define magnetically exchange-coupled interfaces by performing magnetic remanence, first-order reversal curves (FORCs), and relaxation measurements. By combining these magnetometry techniques and the structural and morphological information from X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and Mössbauer spectrometry, the exchange intergranular interaction is evidenced, and the critical thickness within which coupled interfaces have a uniform reversal unraveled.

Keywords: exchange-coupling; ferrites; interfaces; magnetic composites; permanent magnets.