Laser pyrolysis fabrication of ferromagnetic γ′-Fe[sub 4]N and FeC nanoparticles.

Using the laser pyrolysis method, single phase γ[sup ′]-Fe[sub 4]N nanoparticles were prepared by a two step method involving preparation of nanoscale iron oxide and a subsequent gas–solid nitridation reaction. Single phase Fe[sub 3]C and Fe[sub 7]C[sub 3] could be prepared by laser pyrolysis from Fe(CO)[sub 5] and 3C[sub 2]H[sub 4] directly. Characterization techniques such as XRD, TEM and vibrating sample magnetometer were used to measure phase structure, particle size and magnetic properties of these nanoscale nitride and carbide particles. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]