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Colloids and Surfaces

A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 202 (2002) 155– 163


www.elsevier.com/locate/colsurfa

Metalcontaining nano-particles within polymeric matrices:


preparation, structure, and properties
S.P. Gubin *
N.S. Kurnako6 Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 31 Leninsky Prospect,
117907 Moscow, Russia
Received 12 July 2000; accepted 16 March 2001

Abstract

A universal method of introduction of metal-containing nano-particles in polymeric matrices has been developed,
which allows for the fabricating of large amounts (kilogram-scale) of polymeric nanoparticles composites. The
encapsulation was done by thermal decomposition of metalcontaining compounds (MRn ; M= Cr, Mo, W, Ti, Zr, Fe,
Co, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu; R=CO, HCOO, CH3COO, C6H5CH2) in solution melt of polymer (polyethylene, polypropylene,
polytetrafluoroethylene, polyamide, polyarylate, polycarbonate, polysterene, polyethers, polyphenyleneoxide, silox-
ane). Particle size measurement (2–10 nm) and magnetic properties showed that the material really contained the
nanoparticles, which were retaining their unique properties. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Polymer nanocomposite; Nanoparticles; Magnetic properties

1. Introduction technologies. As is well known, some of the


metallic nano-particles are thermodynamically un-
Nanometer size structures are an intermediate stable and chemically very reactive. For many
form of matter, which fills the gap between atoms/ technological applications, materials with
molecules and bulk materials. Often, these types nanoparticles embedded in a matrix are impor-
of structures exhibit exotic physical and chemical tant. In this paper for the stabilization of nano-
properties different from those observed in bulk particles the matrices of the ‘simplest’ organic
three-dimensional (3-D) materials. The properties polymers as polyethylene it is used.
associated with nanoscale particles have been the The preparation in the kilogramme scale of
subject of a number of recent reviews and publica- uniform polymermetallic nanomaterials using
tions [1–4]. This interdisciplinary field of meso- conventional techniques is rather difficult. The
scopic and nano-scale systems is important to creation and future utilization of such types of
fundamental physics, as well as for some new nano-size systems require the development of new
technological processes.
* Tel.: +7-954-71-36; fax: +7-954-12-79. Colloidal dispersions of inorganic materials in
E-mail address: gubbin@rambler.ru (S.P. Gubin). different polymer media have classically been pre-

0927-7757/02/$ - see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 2 7 - 7 7 5 7 ( 0 1 ) 0 1 0 7 4 - 3
156 S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163

pared by attrition, milling and precipitation from acetates, formiates and some other classes of co-
nonsolvents or from supersaturation solutions [5– ordination compounds, including organometallics
7]. The role of macromolecules in these processes (M= Cr, Mo, W, Ti, Zr, Fe, Co, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu)
has been that of a dispersing and stabilizing have been used as MCC. The polymer matrix
agent. But these methods are not applicable for used in this study is a commercial polymer manu-
fabrication of the particles with diameter as small factured by Russian Companies and marketed
as 1–10 nm. under the following trade names, PE (low density)
We have recently found that it is possible to 277-020; PE(high density) 153-020 and 108-020;
introduce nanoparticles into ordinary polymers PP 21012 and 21030; PA 6-120/310 and PA 6-210.
like polyethylene. As a rule such nanoencapsula- In the typical experiment the solution of MCC
tion is done using solution/melt of polymer in in the volatile organic solvent under on inert
hydrocarbon oil. For introduction of nano-parti- atmosphere has been dropped under strong stir-
cles in polymeric matrixes these were used for ring to solution/melt of the polymer in hydrocar-
their formation in situ as a result of high velocity bon oil. The temperature of the reaction was
thermodestruction of metalcontaining (including connected with the nature of the polymer and has
organometallic) compounds (MCC). The opti- been fixed in the interval 200– 260 °C. The sol-
mum conditions are developed for the decomposi- vent and the volatile products of MCC decompo-
tion of MCC in order to introduce complicated sition have been condensed in the cooled
and highly reactive nanoparticles into the poly- collector. The solid product has been isolated
meric matrix. For the subsequent characterization from the excess of oil after cooling of the reaction
we have used small-angle X-ray scattering mixture. The residual amounts of oil have been
(SAXS), X-ray RED, EXAFS, X-ray emission separated by extraction.
spectroscopy and Mossbauer effect measurements The samples, obtained as dark-colored pow-
in combination. ders, was assigned for further structural and phys-
In some case the physical properties of the ical investigations. The material were produced in
obtained material are nontrivial. the form of tablets 1– 4 mm thick and 15–20 mm
Generally, the electrical and magnetic behavior in diameter. The samples have been fabricated
of nano-structured systems is governed by both with the metal weight concentration in the range
the intrinsic properties of the nano-structures and 2 –50%, in 2% step.
their interactions with the matrix. Thus, the mag- For the preparation of heterometallic nanopar-
netic behavior of the system can be controlled by ticles we used as a rule available heterometallic
the size, shape, chemical composition and struc- MCC; in some case labile heterometallic MCC
ture of the nano-particles and/or by the nature of were prepared in solution immediately before
the matrix in which they are embedded. adding in reaction mixture. For example, the first
Magnetic particles in the nano-meter range samples of polymer-nano-ferrites, PE+ 5%
form single magnetic domains in which the mag- BaFe2O4 and PE + 5% BaFe12O19 were produced
netic moment performs fast fluctuation near an [8] by the above method.
easy direction (collective magnetic excitations), as Elemental analyses were performed in the ana-
well as, slower fluctuation between different easy lytical laboratory of our institute. The powder
directions (superparamagnetic relaxation). X-ray diffraction patterns of samples were
In this article, we report briefly on the magnetic recorded with CuKa, radiation in the 2q range of
properties of these nanocomposite materials. 0–35° using a standard X-ray unit.
Our diffraction experiments were performed
with the small-angle camera ‘Frax’, used in a
2. Materials and methods small-angular version. The X-ray synchrotron ra-
diation (u=1115 A, ) from VEPP-4 (Novosibirsk)
All chemicals and solvents used for the prepara- was reflected by monochromator and high-order
tion of samples were reagent grade. Carbonyls, reflections were eliminated by means of an X-ray
S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163 157

mirror (Pt-coated melt quartz). All DC magne- The process of forming nanoparticles by droplet
tization measurements were performed on a vi- decomposition can be viewed in the simplest case
brating sample magnetometer PARC-155. The as the drying of droplets followed by solid and
morphology, particle size and distribution were liquid phase chemical reactions in a nanoreactor-
investigated using a high-resolution electron mi- polymer cavity; the typical examples of MCC
croscope (JEM-100B-1). For the preparation of thermal decomposition are:
samples the powders of nanometallopolymer were
Cu(HCOO)2 “ Cu + H2O+ CO2 + CO
dispersed in water in an ultrasonic bath for 20
min and then a drop of this suspension was Ti(C6H5CH2)4 “ Ti +C6H5CH3 + (C6H5CH2)
deposited onto a carbon mesh on a copper grid.
Fe(CO)5 “ Fe +Fe3C+ CO2 + CO
The process has been organized in such a way,
3. Results and discussion that thermodestruction of MCC was only in the
polymer volume (a separate metal phase was ab-
3.1. Preparation sent) and every new drop of MCC solution
reached its own nanoreactor. At high supersatura-
Our goal was the creation of large-scale materi- tion, particle formation occurs by homogeneous
als, where metalcontaining nanoparticles (d =1 – nucleation. Nucleation is followed by particle
10 nm) retained their unique physical properties growth and, for sufficiently high particle concen-
and were uniformly distributed. Many properties trations, by coagulation and agglomeration. How-
of nano-particles are very sensitive to their vol- ever, the actual behavior of the system is in many
ume, therefore, it is vital to have a material with cases more complicated.
narrow particle size distribution. Experiments on kinetic have shown that the
All above-mentioned polymers are semicrys- growth of particles occurs simultaneously in many
talline. Their fine texture is determined by the cavities in all the polymer volume; the number
size, shape, and orientation of crystallites, and and the sizes of such cavities are specific to each
their distribution, as well as by the structure of polymeric matrix. The semicrystalline polymers
the amorphous regions. The structure of such used in this investigation had heterogeneous struc-
polymers is loose, they contain many nano-voids, tures with lamellar, cylindrical or spherical nano-
which is natural in any polymers. These voids domains of different sizes that could serve as
(nanoreactors) are connected with polymer nano-reactors; inside them a variety of nanoparti-
molecules packing and located both within and cles could be synthesised in a controlled manner.
between crystalline and amorphous parts of mi-
cro-volumes [9,10]. The access of MCC in these
nanoreactors has been achieved because of ‘part-
ing’ of the polymeric chains (lamels) with the
labile short molecules of hydrocarbon oil under
high temperatures and intensive stirring. The pro-
cesses are chematically shown at the Fig. 1.
Nanoparticles were generated by the following
method. MCCs were dissolved in a volatile sol-
vent; the solution droplets were then passed into a
reaction vessel where a chemical reaction took
place to convert the reactants to nanoparticles
having the required composition. Average resi-
dence times were typically few seconds with tem-
peratures of 200– 260 °C. The liquid droplets are Fig. 1. The model of transformation of MCC solution by
deposited into a heated solution/melt of polymer. dropping of nano-particle.
158 S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163

This method allows to change the sizes and the


form of obtained nanoparticles in various limits
by different polymeric matrices.
A more homogenous nucleation and growth of
a particles and as a result monotonic distribution
of the particles in the whole volume of the mate-
rial (independent from the concentration of intro-
duced metal) and narrow distribution of the
particles in sizes have been achieved.
It was shown that this method allowed varying
the size from 2 to 10 nm (in some case— bimodal
distribution) and inter-particle distance from 15
down to 9 nm. The particles have a width of size
distribution not more than 30%. In principle, the
method permits to create just as homometal parti-
cles (Fe, Co, Mn, Cr, rare earth) and binary ones
(Fe –Co, Fe –Nd, Co – Sm, Gd – Mn etc.) and
more complex compounds, including oxides
(Mx Oy, M=Fe, Co, Mn), borides, nitrides etc. It
is possible to diversify the type of polymer matrix
too, using polyethylene, polypropylene, polyte- Fig. 2. Diffractogram of samples of PE + Fe, (1) pure PE; (2)
trafluoroethylene, polyamide, polyarylate, poly- 3% Fe; (3) 10% Fe; (4) 30% Fe.
carbonate, polysterene, polyethers, polyphenyl-
eneoxide, siloxane etc. means of diffraction of high-intensity synchrotron
The possibility of the fabrication of nanoparti- radiation. The high-intensity radiation provides a
cles of complex composition, as Nd– Fe –B, possibility to register very fine diffracted features
SmCo5, ferrites, also has been studied. related to minor variations in the chemical com-
Nanoparticles of ferrites have been generated position of metalcontaining polymers. On the ex-
by the thermodestruction of a solution a variety ample Fe-containing polymers it was shown that
of precursors in solution/melt of polymer. They the diffraction patterns of the above samples were
include oxalates, acetates, alkoxides and formi- essentially the same (a shoulder in the second
ates. The composition of the produced nanoparti- reflection from the larger scattering angles) as
cles was exactly corresponded the composition of known for amorphous Fe [11].
the initial solution [9,10]. Let us consider the structure of nanoparticles,
polymeric matrices and their interaction in
3.2. Structure detail.

The X-ray diffraction study showed that all 3.2.1. Nano-particles


samples are X-ray amorphous. This means that Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) car-
the size of the nano-particles is less than 10 nm. ried out in different imaging modes allows one to
As it is seen from the Fig. 2, the routine diffrac- check the sample morphology, i.e. the size and
tograms are poor in information and besides the shape distributions of nano-particles, and to eval-
peaks of initial polymer did not contain other uate their separation. In the morphological study
peaks, which were known for the crystallites of of the metalcontaining specimens, it was impor-
the corresponding metal and its simplest tant to check first that the observed objects were
derivatives. really nano-particles and also to locate precisely
The short-range order structures in metalcon- the boundary of each particle to determine accu-
taining polymers have been investigated now by rately the particle size and shape distribution [12].
S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163 159

On Fig. 3, one can see the area of polymeric


lamella, which has the structure of parallel de-
posited polymer chains; they are also separated
enough regular dark inclusions. The estimation of
media sizes of the particles gives the value 3.69 1
nm. The TEM analyses show that the present
matrix synthesis, under the condition described
above, favors the formation of nonequiaxial parti-
cles with ellipsoid shape. On the other photo-
graphs a few larger particles with a media size
892 nm are noticed alongside with the basic
particles. The observable picture is not in opposite
to the preliminary results, obtained by SAXS.
The SAXS studies evidenced particles regularly
Fig. 4. Size distribution of Fe-particles in PE matrix.
dispersed in the polymer matrix with narrow log-
normal size bimodal distribution centered around
3.290.3 nm (more than 80% particles from total Mossbauer spectroscopy for Fe, containing
quantity) and 8 nm (91 nm) (see Fig. 4). samples makes it possible to determine and to
control the ‘phase’ constitution of the composites,
and also to evaluate the size of the particles [13].
Initially the samples of the PE with FeCl3 and
Fe2O3 nano-particles were used as a model. The
Mossbauer spectra of these samples are rather
simple. Thus, in the case of iron chloride the
spectrum represents a doublet on the parameters
applicable to anhydrous FeCl3 (l=0.36 mm s − 1).
In the case of iron oxide, the asymmetric doublet,
which is the superposition of two doublets, is an
adequately nano-sized g-modification of oxide
(III) and possibly a small content of Fe3O4, with
the parameters l =0.23 mm s − 1, Q= 0.84 mm
s − 1 and l= 0.52 mm s − 1, and Q=0.87 mm s − 1,
according to what was observed. Samples of
PE +Fe (0.20, 4.54 and 7.92% w) were studied by
Mossbauer spectroscopy (Fig. 5). It is to be noted
that the investigated samples contained several
forms of iron. This was purely metallic iron, and
its parameters, which can be quite precisely deter-
mined from the spectra data, namely chemical
shift and magnetic field, correspond to the so-
called a-Fe. Further, a-Fe2O3, corresponding to
an intensive doublet (l= 0.35 mm s − 1) was ob-
served in the central part (the absence of magnetic
hyperfine cleavage testifies that the size of the
Fig. 3. (a) The TEM micrograph of Co particles into
polyethylene matrix (1 cm = 10 nm). (b). The log-normal
particles does not exceed 6 nm). The remaining
distribution function fit to the particle diameter histogram fraction was made up of iron carbide, probably
(standard deviation (S.D.) | = 1.3). Fe5C2. Thus, the observed spectra for the ‘iron in
160 S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163

Fig. 5. Model of the described Mossbauer spectrum PE + 4.5% Fe (composition, C 81.22%; H 12.7%; Fe 4.54%).

PE’ samples shows the superposition of three or Experimental EXAFS data on r and Z for
more phases and are satisfactorily described by a PE + 5%Mo show (Fig. 6) that the sample con-
model that include the superposition of four sex- tains metallic Mo (interatomic distances A well
tets and two doublets. It should be noted that coincide with the metallic ones). The peak with
with the change of the iron content in the PE, the
spectra also change.
According to our experimental data, nano-par-
ticles have a complex composition and structure
that depend on the concentration of metal in the
polymeric matrix. All particles are multiphase,
they contain metal, metal carbide and metal ox-
ides. This seems to a general conclusion valid for
most samples, not only for Fe-containing ones.
The phase analysis of samples with M= Mo
has been carried out by two methods, by con-
struction of radial electronic density distribution
functions obtained from the curve of intensity of
X-ray scattering (X-ray RED) [14,15] and EX-
AFS-spectroscopy [16]. Both methods give values
of interatomic distances (r) and coordination
numbers (Z), which can be compared with those
calculated from structural data for a certain
phase. Thus, X-ray RED and EXAFS methods Fig. 6. EXAFS of nano-composite PE +5% Mo (composition,
inspect and supplement each other. C 80.65%; H 12.4%; Mo 4,93%).
S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163 161

r =1.97A can be assigned to the distance Mo– C/ nano-particle by interaction with polymer matrix
O and indicates either at interaction of metal with with in certain limits. The presence on the surface
a matrix or oxidation; probably, the both cases of Fe-particles of a phase that corresponded in
took place. X-ray RED analysis showed that both general to the phase FeF2-high spin iron ions
metal and oxide phases were observed. (Kb5-spectra) was established by X-ray emission
The bonding of metal with surrounding atoms and Mossbauer spectroscopy [17,18]. It can take
and the density of unpaired 3-D electrons local- place only owing to defluorination of polyte-
ized on the metal atoms has been investigated trafluoroethylene by highly reactive iron nano-
using the X-ray emission spectra. These spectra particles. This result is not only novel, but also
are useful in solving some structural problems and very important because, in practice, polyte-
provide information on atomic orbitals of nearest trafluoroethylene is considered to be one of the
neighbor atoms or molecular orbitals of matrix- most inert polymers and its defluorination is a
pseudoligand. In all materials Mossbauer and X- very complicated task. Analogous result was ob-
ray spectroscopic investigations point to three tained with more reactive polymers, such as
essential results: polyvinyl chloride (Fe–Cl phase), polyethyleneg-
1. nano-particles are multiphase, irrespective lycol (Fe –O phase), polyamine (Fe–N phase),
of the concentration of metal in the poly- polysilane (Fe–Si phase) [19] etc. Thus, the role of
meric matrix; a polymeric matrix is not reduced only to a role of
2. the phase composition of the nano-particles environment for retaining of nano-particles. As it
differs sharply in the materials with low and was shown the surface atoms of nano-particles
high concentration of metal in the matrix; effectively interacted with environmental poly-
meric circuits. The nanoparticle, growing in these
3. there are the direct metalC bonds with
matrixes, will partially destroy environmental
matrix.
polymer chains by bond breaking involving the
atoms F, Cl, O, N or C. The last ones are the
3.2.2. Matrices
potential ligands for creation on a surface of
It was demonstrated that the matrix inside that
particles appropriate metal-ion subphase
the nano-particles were synthesized played an ac-
(environment).
tive role in determining their composition and For the determination of modifications to the
chemical and physical properties in addition to structure of a polymeric matrix we used 1H Wide-
providing the means for particle dispersion. The Line NMR-spectra with success [20].
macroscopic properties of the nano-composites The temperature dependence of the width of the
reflected the combined action of the interfaces proton resonance line arising from bulk samples
between the nano-particles and the matrix, the of polymers (wide-line spectra) provided an infor-
matrix properties, the quantum-size effects and mation on the molecular motion of hydrocarbon
the morphologies of the nano-structure. chains. A study of the second moment of (S2) and
It was shown that using the same MCC and various relaxation times (T1, T2) of the resonance
under the same conditions (concentrations, solu- line as a function of the content of metallic parti-
tion temperature, time for addition of the MCC, cles yields important data on the variation of
stirring velocity, etc.), the nature of the polymeric degree of crystallinity, chain axis orientation, and
matrix had an impact on, (a) the size of the degree of molecular motion. For example, the
particles; (b) the mean distances between the narrow component of a spectrum attributed to
nano-particles; (c) the composition of the parti- the noncrystalline (amorphous) regions disap-
cles. The methods that were developed made it peared in a PE–Fe system with Fe content above
possible to control these processes and to direct 3%, whereas in the PE–Ni system, this occurred
them to obtain materials with predetermined only when the Ni content was higher than 8%.
structural parameters. However, the wide component of a spectrum
We showed, that it was possible to change the could be written down to 30% Ni in the PE, but
chemical structure of an external surface of a for Fe, only up to 8%.
162 S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163

Probably the very small metal particles are


deposited initially in the amorphous, looser re-
gions of the PE sample, where they suppress the
molecular motions by decreasing of free volume
and by forming chemical bonds with the matrix.
This process, that increases the thermal stability,
should be accompanied by changes in spin-lattice
relaxation time, specific heat, and the mechanical
properties at ordinary temperatures. All of these
phenomena we noticed in the variety of investi-
gated samples.

3.3. Properties

The obtained materials have many interesting


properties, high thermal stability, increased me-
chanical characteristics in comparison to the ini-
tial polymer, semiconductive conductivity, etc.
[21,22]. In this work, we briefly consider only
magnetic characteristics, as an evidence of nano-
size of particles. Fig. 7. Zero field cooling and field cooling magnetization for
sample PE +5% Fe.

3.4. Magnetic properties The DC magnetic measurement of sets of sam-


ples with different Fe, Co, Ni concentrations in
A small magnetic nano-particle forms a single above mentioned matrices was carried out. Tem-
magnetic domains in which a magnetic moment perature-dependent DC magnetic susceptibility
performs fast fluctuation near an easy direction data for the sample is shown in Fig. 7. At high
(collective magnetic excitations), as well as, slower temperatures, the field-cooled (FC) and zero-field-
fluctuation between different easy directions (su- cooled (ZFC) magnetization data exhibit the same
perparamagnetic relaxation) [23]. It is connected trend, but at low temperatures they significantly
with the changes in the magnetic and electronic diverge. This picture is typical for single domain
structure under decreasing size and with quantum magnetic nanomaterials. The position of maxi-
effects when the scale of structures becomes com- mum is a blocking temperature. It was observed
parable with coherence length and other charac- that the value of the blocking temperature in the
teristic parameters. samples being studied grew as the metal concen-
In accordance with decreasing of size the parti- tration increased. For example, it was found that
cle finally contains only one domain. This particle the position determined to be the maximum ZFC
is characterized by large coercive force [24,25] curve value of blocking temperature Tb ranged
because the rotation of the magnetization of the from less than 4.2–77 K in the case of the
entire particle is in general associated with a large PTFE + 1 wt.%Fe and PTFE +30 wt.% Fe sam-
change in energy (depending on the anisotropy ples, correspondingly. Also, the temperature of
energy of the particle). The state of the particle is the magnetic phase transition decreases from ap-
not in equilibrium and it is known [26] as ‘stable’ proximately 100 K (for 24 wt.% Fe) to less than
or ‘blocking’. It is supposed, that all magnetic 30 K (for 8 wt.% Fe), matrix-PE. At this stage of
nano-particles of transition (3d, 4f) elements with the research we assume that two types of nano-
D smaller than 20 nm should be of a single particles with different blocking temperatures are
domain. contained in the volume of some of the samples.
S.P. Gubin / Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 202 (2002) 155–163 163

From above it is evident, that the implemented [3] J.L. Dorman, D. Fiorani (Eds.), Magnetic Properties of
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This research demonstrates the significant poten-
1992 (in Russia).
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synthesis of appreciable quantity of nanoparticle vaev, I.A. Dubovtsev, Neorg. Mater. 32 (1996) 422.
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Transl.).
[19] S.P. Gubin, A.V. Kozinkin, M.I. Afanasov, N.A. Popova,
Acknowledgements O.V. Sever, A.T. Shuvaev, A.M. Tsirlin, Neorg. Mater.
35 (1999) 237 (in Russia).
Dr I.D. Kosobudskii and G.Yu. Yurkov have [20] J.R. Lyerla, in: L. Marton, C. Marton (Eds.), High-reso-
contributed substantially to the synthesis and in- lution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in
Methods of Experimental Physics, vol. 16, Vead. Press,
vestigation of nano-materials. I wish to thank Dr New York, 1980, p. 241.
A.V. Kozinkin and Dr D.A. Pankratov for com- [21] S.P. Gubin, I.D. Kosobudskii, Usp. Khim. 52 (1983)
munication of their EXAFS and Mossbauer re- 1350.
sults on Fe-particles prior to publication. The [22] S.P. Gubin, I.D. Kosobudskii, Russ. Chem. Rev. 52
experimental and theoretical analysis of magnetic (1983) 766.
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