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Nickel oxide encapsulated gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3/NiO) core–shell nanoparticles (Nps) has been synthesized by polyol method and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The particle size is found to vary from 25 to 35 nm. Raman spectra show the gadolinium oxide core material peaks are found to be diminished by the mass effect of the NiO shell material. The dynamics of the magnetic moment has been studied with the help of temperature dependent electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Peak-to-peak line width (ΔHpp) value of the EPR spectra increases with decreasing temperature. Temperature dependence of line width shows the dominance of spin–lattice relaxation in these systems, and it can be used as T1contrast agent. Spin number estimated from EPR studies increases with the decrease of the temperature. The interfacial exchange coupling between the core and shell region is found to be existing at very low temperatures as determined by EPR studies in this non-magnetic/antiferromagnetic (NM/AFM) core/shell nanosystem. The effects of the temperature on the magnetic properties of the Gd2O3/NiO core/shell NPs and the underlying mechanism have been discussed.

Slow cooled arc melted Fe-Ga alloys with different compositions were characterized. GI-XRD confirms the BCC structure and existence of single phase A2 in 17 at.% of Ga and multiphase A2 and L12in 30 at. % of Ga. The Ga defects migrates during annealing and reduces the lattice. The Galfenol alloy with the 30 at.% of Ga has an A2 phase around 400 oC and an L12phase around 560 oC. The formation of the L12structure is due to an exposure in high temperature region. The magnetostriction of Fe83- Ga17and Fe70- Ga30alloys seems to be 64 and 27 ppm. Decrement of magnetostriction is due to change in anisotropy coefficient.

This study reports detailed microstructural and magnetic characterization of rapidly solidified Ni2(Mn,Fe)Ga heusler alloys processed using the melt spinning technique. Series of Ni50Mn(25-x)Fe(x= 2, 5, 8, 11)Ga25 alloys were prepared by vacuum arc melting and then melt spun at constant wheel speed of 20 m/sec to obtain samples in the form of ribbons. X-ray diffraction analysis of as-cast Ni2(Mn,Fe)Ga alloy with different ‘Fe’ concentrations revealed austenite phase with L21 Heusler atomic order at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy of melt spun ribbons reveals a precursor tweed structures due to magnetic tweed contrast when the ‘Fe’ concentrations are 8% and 11%. In case of 11% ‘Fe’ substituted alloy martensite phase was found to from at the grain boundary triple junctions. Thermo magnetic measurements determine that, as the ‘Fe’ concentration increases from 2 to 11%; it enhances the magnetic transition temperature from 375 to 403 K.

This paper investigates the effects of post-deposition annealing on the evolution of phase structure and magnetic properties of magnetron sputtered Ni2FeGa/Si (001) thin films. The results revealed that the as-deposited film was partially crystallized in an fcc structure, i.e. γphase. Crystallization of the amorphous structure into the γphase was greatly encouraged following annealing at 723 K for 1 h. Annealing at higher temperatures for the same period triggered the formation of the bcc austenitic phase, which competed with the γphase simultaneously for crystallization and grain growth. The evolution of phase structure and grain size also influenced the nanomechanical properties of the films according to the nanoindentation measurement. The film annealed at 873 K for 1 h showed high hardness and elastic modulus values of 11.1 GPa and 156 GPa. The γphase showed stronger ferromagnetic characteristics relative to the bcc austenite due to the richer Fe content. This leads to the saturation magnetization to be maximized at 80 emu/g when annealed at 773 K for 1 h attributed to the enhanced film crystallinity and dominant volume fraction of γphase in the thin film.