Visualized effect of oxidation on magnetic recording fidelity in pseudo-single-domain magnetite particles

Trevor P. Almeida; Takeshi Kasama; Adrian R. Muxworthy; Wyn Williams; Lesleis Nagy; Thomas Willum Hansen; Paul D. Brown; Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski

doi:10.1038/ncomms6154

Visualized effect of oxidation on magnetic recording fidelity in pseudo-single-domain magnetite particles

Trevor P. Almeida, Takeshi Kasama, Adrian R. Muxworthy, Wyn Williams, Lesleis Nagy, Thomas Willum Hansen, Paul D. Brown, Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski

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Abstract

Magnetite (Fe3O4) is an important magnetic mineral to Earth scientists, as it carries the dominant magnetic signature in rocks, and the understanding of its magnetic recording fidelity provides a critical tool in the field of palaeomagnetism. However, reliable interpretation of the recording fidelity of Fe3O4 particles is greatly diminished over time by progressive oxidation to less magnetic iron oxides, such as maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), with consequent alteration of remanent magnetization potentially having important geological significance. Here we use the complementary techniques of environmental transmission electron microscopy and off-axis electron holography to induce and visualize the effects of oxidation on the magnetization of individual nanoscale Fe3O4 particles as they transform towards γ-Fe2O3. Magnetic induction maps demonstrate a change in both strength and direction of remanent magnetization within Fe3O4 particles in the size range dominant in rocks, confirming that oxidation can modify the original stored magnetic information.

Original language	English
Article number	5154
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	5
Number of pages	6
ISSN	2041-1723
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6154
Publication status	Published - 2014

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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title = "Visualized effect of oxidation on magnetic recording fidelity in pseudo-single-domain magnetite particles",

abstract = "Magnetite (Fe3O4) is an important magnetic mineral to Earth scientists, as it carries the dominant magnetic signature in rocks, and the understanding of its magnetic recording fidelity provides a critical tool in the field of palaeomagnetism. However, reliable interpretation of the recording fidelity of Fe3O4 particles is greatly diminished over time by progressive oxidation to less magnetic iron oxides, such as maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), with consequent alteration of remanent magnetization potentially having important geological significance. Here we use the complementary techniques of environmental transmission electron microscopy and off-axis electron holography to induce and visualize the effects of oxidation on the magnetization of individual nanoscale Fe3O4 particles as they transform towards γ-Fe2O3. Magnetic induction maps demonstrate a change in both strength and direction of remanent magnetization within Fe3O4 particles in the size range dominant in rocks, confirming that oxidation can modify the original stored magnetic information.",

author = "Almeida, {Trevor P.} and Takeshi Kasama and Muxworthy, {Adrian R.} and Wyn Williams and Lesleis Nagy and Hansen, {Thomas Willum} and Brown, {Paul D.} and Dunin-Borkowski, {Rafal E.}",

note = "This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article{\textquoteright}s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",

year = "2014",

doi = "10.1038/ncomms6154",

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T1 - Visualized effect of oxidation on magnetic recording fidelity in pseudo-single-domain magnetite particles

AU - Almeida, Trevor P.

AU - Kasama, Takeshi

AU - Muxworthy, Adrian R.

AU - Williams, Wyn

AU - Nagy, Lesleis

AU - Hansen, Thomas Willum

AU - Brown, Paul D.

AU - Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.

N1 - This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Magnetite (Fe3O4) is an important magnetic mineral to Earth scientists, as it carries the dominant magnetic signature in rocks, and the understanding of its magnetic recording fidelity provides a critical tool in the field of palaeomagnetism. However, reliable interpretation of the recording fidelity of Fe3O4 particles is greatly diminished over time by progressive oxidation to less magnetic iron oxides, such as maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), with consequent alteration of remanent magnetization potentially having important geological significance. Here we use the complementary techniques of environmental transmission electron microscopy and off-axis electron holography to induce and visualize the effects of oxidation on the magnetization of individual nanoscale Fe3O4 particles as they transform towards γ-Fe2O3. Magnetic induction maps demonstrate a change in both strength and direction of remanent magnetization within Fe3O4 particles in the size range dominant in rocks, confirming that oxidation can modify the original stored magnetic information.

AB - Magnetite (Fe3O4) is an important magnetic mineral to Earth scientists, as it carries the dominant magnetic signature in rocks, and the understanding of its magnetic recording fidelity provides a critical tool in the field of palaeomagnetism. However, reliable interpretation of the recording fidelity of Fe3O4 particles is greatly diminished over time by progressive oxidation to less magnetic iron oxides, such as maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), with consequent alteration of remanent magnetization potentially having important geological significance. Here we use the complementary techniques of environmental transmission electron microscopy and off-axis electron holography to induce and visualize the effects of oxidation on the magnetization of individual nanoscale Fe3O4 particles as they transform towards γ-Fe2O3. Magnetic induction maps demonstrate a change in both strength and direction of remanent magnetization within Fe3O4 particles in the size range dominant in rocks, confirming that oxidation can modify the original stored magnetic information.

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DO - 10.1038/ncomms6154

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25300366

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 5

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 5154

ER -

Visualized effect of oxidation on magnetic recording fidelity in pseudo-single-domain magnetite particles

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