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Superparamagnetic ferrite nanoparticles coated with a polymer layer are widely used for biomedical applications. The objective of this work is to design nanoparticles as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) temperature-sensitive contrast agent. Copper-zinc ferrite nanoparticles coated with a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) layer are synthesized using a one-step thermal decomposition method in a polymer matrix. The resulting nanoparticles are stable in water and biocompatible. Using Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetometry, it was determined that the grown nanoparticles exhibit superparamagnetic properties. Embedding these particles into an agarose gel resulted in significant modification of water proton relaxation times T 1 , T 2 , and T 2 * determined by nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. The results of the spin-echo T 2 -weighted MR images of an aqueous phantom with embedded Cu 0.08 Zn 0.54 Fe 2.38 O 4 nanoparticles in the presence of a strong temperature gradient show a strong correlation between the temperature and the image intensity. The presented results support the hypothesis that CuZn ferrite nanoparticles can be used as a contrast agent for MRI thermometry., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

We investigate the use of Cu 1- x Zn x Fe 2 O 4 ferrites (0.60 < x < 0.76) as potential sensors for magnetic- resonance-imaging thermometry. Samples are prepared by a standard ceramic technique. Their structural and magnetic properties are determined using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, super-conducting quantum-interference device magnetometry, and Mossbauer and 3-T nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopies. We use the mass magnetization of powdered ferrites and transverse relaxivity r* 2 of water protons in Ringer's-solution-based agar gels with embedded micron-sized particles to determine the best composition for magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) temperature sensors in the (280-323)-K range. A preclinical 3-T MRI scanner is employed to acquire T* 2 weighted temperature-dependent images. The brightness of the MRI images is cross-correlated with the temperature of the phantoms, which allows for a temperature determination with approximately 1°C accuracy. We determine that the composition of 0.65 < x < 0.70 is the most suitable for MRI thermometry near human body temperature.

The aim of this research is to study the role of nanocrystalline TiO 2 /SnO 2 n-n heterojunctions for hydrogen sensing. Nanopowders of pure SnO 2 , 90 mol % SnO 2 /10 mol % TiO 2 , 10 mol % SnO 2 /90 mol % TiO 2 and pure TiO 2 have been obtained using flame spray synthesis (FSS). The samples have been characterized by BET, XRD, SEM, HR-TEM, Mössbauer effect and impedance spectroscopy. Gas-sensing experiments have been performed for H 2 concentrations of 1-3000 ppm at 200-400 °C. The nanomaterials are well-crystallized, anatase TiO 2 , rutile TiO 2 and cassiterite SnO 2 polymorphic forms are present depending on the chemical composition of the powders. The crystallite sizes from XRD peak analysis are within the range of 3-27 nm. Tin exhibits only the oxidation state 4+. The H 2 detection threshold for the studied TiO 2 /SnO 2 heterostructures is lower than 1 ppm especially in the case of SnO 2 -rich samples. The recovery time of SnO 2 -based heterostructures, despite their large responses over the whole measuring range, is much longer than that of TiO 2 -rich samples at higher H 2 flows. TiO 2 /SnO 2 heterostructures can be intentionally modified for the improved H 2 detection within both the small (1-50 ppm) and the large (50-3000 ppm) concentration range. The temperature T max at which the semiconducting behavior begins to prevail upon water desorption/oxygen adsorption depends on the TiO 2 /SnO 2 composition. The electrical resistance of sensing materials exhibits a power-law dependence on the H 2 partial pressure. This allows us to draw a conclusion about the first step in the gas sensing mechanism related to the adsorption of oxygen ions at the surface of nanomaterials.

The results of a (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy study between 2.0 and 297 K of the parent compound Fe1.09Te and the superconductor FeSe0.4Te0.6 are reported. It is shown that in both compounds the magnitude of the quadrupole splitting increases with decreasing temperature and is well described by a T(3/2) power-law relation. The presence of incommensurate spin-density-wave antiferromagnetism in Fe1.09Te is demonstrated, with the Néel temperature T(N) = 71.1(6) K. A theoretical prediction (Zhang et al 2009 Phys. Rev. B 79 012506) of the Fe magnetic moment at the 2c sites being significantly larger than that at the 2a sites in the parent compound is confirmed experimentally by showing that these moments at 4.4 K are, respectively, 3.20(4) and 1.78(3) μ(B). The absence of magnetic order in FeSe0.4Te0.6 down to 2.0 K is confirmed. The Debye temperatures of Fe1.09Te and FeSe0.4Te0.6 are found to be 290(1) and 233(1) K, respectively.

The results of a 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy study between 4.5 and 523.2 K and in external magnetic fields (up to 90 kOe) of semiconducting Tl0.53K0.47Fe1.64Se2 single crystals are reported. Evidence is provided for a possible phase separation into the magnetic majority and minority phases. It is demonstrated that the magnetic moments of the divalent Fe atoms located at the 16i site (space group I4/m) of the majority phase and of the minority phase are antiferromagnetically ordered, with the Néel temperature T(N) = 518.0(3.6) K. The magnetic moments at 5.0 K of 2.09(1) and 2.28(2) μ(B) in these two phases are tilted from the crystallographic c axis by 18(1)° and 32(2)°, respectively. The Debye temperature of Tl0.53K0.47Fe1.64Se2 is found to be 228(4) K.

We present a novel and facile method enabling synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles, which are composed mainly of maghemite according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy studies. The proposed process is realized by anodic iron polarization in deaerated LiCl solutions containing both water and ethanol. Water seems to play an important role in the synthesis. Morphology of the product was studied by means of transmission electron microscopy and XRD. In the solution containing almost 100% of water a black suspension of round shaped maghemite nanoparticles of 20-40 nm size is obtained. Regulating water concentration allows to control nanoparticle size, which is reduced to 4-6 nm for 5% of water with a possibility to reach intermediate sizes. For 3% or lower water concentration nanoparticles are of a needle-like shape and form a reddish suspension. In this case phase determination is problematic due to a small particle size with the thickness of roughly 3 nm. However, XRD studies indicate the presence of ferrihydrite. Coercivities of the materials are similar to those reported for nanoparticle magnetite powders, whereas the saturation magnetization values are considerably smaller.

(57)Fe site Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS) was used to investigate the dynamics of (57)Fe atoms embedded in a chromium lattice as impurities. From the Mössbauer spectra recorded in the temperature range of 80-350 K, a temperature dependence of the Lamb-Mössbauer factor, f, was determined. The latter revealed an unusual dynamics of (57)Fe atoms, namely a harmonic mode below T≈145 K with a characteristic effective Debye temperature Θ(eff) = 190.2 K and a strongly anharmonic one above T≈145 K. The latter mode exists in two clearly defined temperature intervals with significantly different Θ(eff) values, namely (i) ∼155 K for ∼145 K ≤ T ≤ ∼240 K and the record-high anharmonic coefficient ε = -25.8 × 10(-4) K(-1), and (ii) ∼151 K for T ≥ ∼240 K with ε = -14 × 10(-4) K(-1). Based on Visscher's theory, the record-low value of the relative binding force constant for Fe atoms was determined as 0.0997 for the harmonic regime. It is suggested that the unusual dynamics observed in this study might be related to the underlying spin-, charge- and strain-density waves of chromium.

We have synthesized the octacyanoniobate-based cyano-bridged 3D ferromagnet {[Fe(II)(H(2)O)(2)](2)[Nb(IV)(CN)(8)].4H(2)O}(n) and characterized structurally, spectroscopically (XANES/EXAFS, IR, UV-Vis, Resonance Raman, (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy) and magnetically. crystallizes in the tetragonal system, space group I4/m, a = 11.989(5) A, c = 13.237(5) A, V = 1902.6(13) A(3). 3D coordination architecture comprises two types of Nb(IV)-C-N-Fe(II)(HS) (HS = high spin) linkages with Fe-N-C angles of 154.5 degrees and 167.5 degrees . The XANES/EXAFS spectra at Fe:K and Nb:K lines confirm the presence of Nb(IV)-C-N-Fe(II) linkages. Magnetic measurements reveal ferromagnetic ordering below T(c) = 43 K with some non-collinearity of Nb(IV) (S = 1/2) and Fe(II) (S = 2) magnetic moments. The molecular field model simulation reproduces well the M(T) curve and T(c) value with one average exchange coupling constant J(FeNb) = + 8.1 cm(-1).