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Nano-fried-eggs: Structural, optical, and magnetic characterization of physically prepared iron-silver nanoparticles

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Abstract

The prospect of combining both magnetic and plasmonic properties in a single nanoparticle promises both valuable insights on the properties of such systems from a fundamental viewpoint and numerous possibilities for technological applications. However, the combination of two of the most prominent metallic candidates—iron and silver—has presented numerous experimental difficulties because their thermodynamic properties impede miscibility and even coalescence. Herein, we present the thorough characterization of physically prepared Fe50Ag50 nanoparticles embedded in carbon and silica matrices via electron microscopy, optical spectroscopy, magnetometry and synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy. Iron and silver segregate completely into structures resembling fried eggs, with a nearly spherical, crystallized silver part surrounded by an amorphous structure of iron carbide or oxide, depending on the environment of the particles. Consequently, the particles exhibit both plasmonic absorption corresponding to the silver nanospheres in an oxide environment and a reduced but measurable magnetic response. The suitability of such nanoparticles for technological applications is discussed from the viewpoint of their high chemical reactivity with their environment.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support through a “Chaire Française dans l’État de São Paulo” and from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP, 2013/14262-7 and 16/12807-4) for M. H., from the Science Without Borders “Special Visiting Scientist” program, contract number 88881.030488/2013-01, and from the Region Rhône-Alpes in the frame of an ARC (Academic Research Community) doctoral grant for J. R. is gratefully acknowledged. This work was performed using the Lyon Cluster Research Platform PLYRA, the Lyon Center for Microscopy CLYM, the Lyon Center for Magnetometry CML and at the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano). The Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (LNLS, Campinas, Brazil) is thanked for the use of the PGM beamline. We gratefully acknowledge technical support from C. Albin, C. Clavier and N. Blanchard in Lyon and from A. de Siervo, J. Bettini and J. Cezar in Campinas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ. Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5306, Institut Lumière Matière, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France

    Julien Ramade, Nicolas Troc, Olivier Boisron, Michel Pellarin, Marie-Ange Lebault, Emmanuel Cottancin & Matthias Hillenkamp

  2. Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, UNICAMP, CP 6165, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Vitor T. A. Oiko, Rafael Cabreira Gomes, Varlei Rodrigues & Matthias Hillenkamp

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  1. Julien Ramade
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  2. Nicolas Troc
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Ramade, J., Troc, N., Boisron, O. et al. Nano-fried-eggs: Structural, optical, and magnetic characterization of physically prepared iron-silver nanoparticles. Nano Res. 11, 6074–6085 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-018-2125-6

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