This thesis provides several nanomaterial systems that can be used as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and for optical fluorescence imaging. Nanoparticle systems described in this thesis fall under three categories: (a) graphene oxide-nanoparticle composites for MRI contrast agent application, (b) core-shell nanoparticles for MRI contrast agent application and (c) nanoparticle systems for both MRI and optical fluorescence imaging. In the case of graphene oxide based nano-composites, the following observations were made: (i) in the case of graphene oxide-Fe3O4 nanoparticle composite, it was observed that high extent of oxidation of the graphene oxide and large spacing between the graphene oxide sheets containing Fe3O4 nanoparticles provides the optimum structure for yielding a very high transverse proton relaxivity value, (ii) in the case of graphene oxide-Gd2O3 nanoparticle composite, it was observed that this composite exhibits high value for both longitudinal and transverse relaxivity values making it a potential materials for multi-contrast study of pathologies with a single agent, (iii) in the case of graphene oxide-CoFe2O4 nanoparticle composites, it was observed that an increase in the reflux time of the reaction mixture containing this composite led to appreciable variations in the proton relaxivity values. Transverse relaxivity value of the water protons increased monotonically with increase in the reflux time. Whereas, the longitudinal relaxivity value initially increased and then decreased with increase in the reflux time. In the case of coreshell nanoparticles for MRI contrast agent application two different core-shell systems were investigated. They are MnFe2O3-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles and CoFe2O4-MnFe2O4 coreshell nanoparticles. Investigations of both the core-shell nanoparticle systems revealed that the proton relaxivity value obtained in the dispersion of the core-shell nanoparticles was considerably greater than the proton relaxivity value obtained in the presence of single phase nanoparticles of the core and shell phases. Very high value of transverse relaxivity in the case core-shell nanoparticles was due to the large magnetic inhomogeneity created by the core-shell nanoparticles in the water medium surrounding it. In the case of nanoparticle systems for both MRI and optical fluorescence imaging, two different systems were investigated. They were CoFe2O4-ZnO core-shell nanoparticles and Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles [Zn1-xGdxS, x= 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3] formed on graphene oxide sheets or coated with chitosan. In the case of CoFe2O4-ZnO core-shell nanoparticles it was observed that fluorescent CoFe2O4-ZnO core-shell nanoparticles with the unique geometry in which CoFe2O4 ferrite nanoparticles agglomerates were present within larger sized hollow ZnO capsules yields very high value of transverse proton relaxivity when compared to the proton relaxivity value exhibited by the individual CoFe2O4-ZnO coreshell nanoparticles. In the case of Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles, two different systems were synthesized and the values of the longitudinal and transverse proton relaxivity obtained were compared. These systems were (i) graphene oxide- Zn1-xGdxS (x= 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) nanoparticle composites and (ii) chitosan coated Zn1-xGdxS (x= 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) nanoparticles. It was observed that Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles in both cases exhibit both longitudinal and transverse relaxivity values. The relaxivity values showed a clear dependence on the composition of the nanoparticles and the nanoparticle environment (presence and absence of graphene oxide). It was also observed that Gd doped ZnS nanoparticle can be used for florescence imaging.

Le domaine de l’enregistrement magnétique est en constante évolution pour repousser davantage les limites de stockage de l’information, une approche prometteuse étant l’enregistrement perpendiculaire. Le matériau faisant l’objet de ce manuscrit est le ferrite de cobalt CoFe2O4 (= CFO). Ses propriétés font de lui un candidat prometteur pour la réalisation de dispositif à enregistrement perpendiculaire, cela passant par le contrôle de sa direction de facile aimantation.Ce travail de thèse traite ainsi de la modification de l’anisotropie magnétocristalline du CFO en couche mince par dopage aux éléments de terres rares. Nous avons démontré la possibilité de moduler la direction de facile aimantation du CFO non dopé, en modifiant la pression partielle en O2/N2 lors de l’élaboration. Nous avons également mis en évidence l’insertion des éléments lanthanides dans la structure du CFO ainsi que l’impact de l’anisotropie de la terre rare sur les propriétés magnétiques du matériau. / The field of magnetic storage is in constant progress to constantly push further the storage capacity of the device. A promising approach is the perpendicular magnetic recording of datas. The material presented in this manuscript is cobalt ferrite. It is an excellent candidate for the realization of perpendicular storage device due to its properties. The present work deals with the modification of the magnetic anisotropy by doping the ferrite cobalt thin films with rare earth elements. We have demonstrated the possibility to modulate the easy magnetization axis of undoped cobalt ferrite by changing the partial pressure of O2/N2 during the elaboration of the thin films. We have also highlighted the insertion of rare earth elements into the structure of the cobalt ferrite although their important ionic radii. The impact of the rare earth anisotropy on the magnetic properties of the ferrite cobalt has also been observed.

Multiferroic materials exhibit unique properties such as simultaneous existence of two or more of coupled ferroic order parameters (ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, ferroelasticity or their anti-ferroic counterparts) in a single material. Recent years have seen a huge research interest in multiferroic materials for their potential application as high density non-volatile memory devices. However, the scarcity of these materials in single phase and the weak coupling of their ferroic components have directed the research towards multiferroic heterostructures. These systems operate by coupling the magnetic and electric properties of two materials, generally a ferromagnetic material and a ferroelectric material via strain. In this work, horizontal heterostructures of composite multiferroic materials were grown and characterized using pulsed laser ablation technique. Alternate magnetic and ferroelectric layers of cobalt ferrite and lead zirconium titanate, respectively, were fabricated and the coupling effect was studied by X-ray stress analysis. It was observed that the interfacial stress played an important role in the coupling effect between the phases. Doped zinc oxide (ZnO) heterostructures were also studied where the ferromagnetic phase was a layer of manganese doped ZnO and the ferroelectric phase was a layer of vanadium doped ZnO. For the first time, a clear evidence of possible room temperature magneto-elastic coupling was observed in these heterostructures. This work provides new insight into the stress mediated coupling mechanisms in composite multiferroics.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:01:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 IndiraAFM_DISSERT_Parcial.pdf: 1021016 bytes, checksum: 339ff82fc9edc8d5f827859010abd0dc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-12-17 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / In this work it was synthesized and characterized the cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) by two methods: complexation combining EDTA/Citrate and hydrothermal investigating the influence of the synthesis conditions on phase formation and on the crystallite size. The powders were mainly characterized by x-ray diffraction. In specific cases, it was also used scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray fluorescence (XRF) and isotherms of adsorption and desorption of nitrogen (BET method). The study of the crystallite size was based on the interpretation of x-ray diffractograms obtained and estimated by the method of Halder-Wagner-Scherrer and Langford. An experimental design was made in order to assist in quantifying the influence of synthesis conditions on the response variables. The synthesis parameters evaluated in this study were: pH of the reaction medium (8, 9 and 10), the calcination temperature (combined complexation method EDTA/Citrate 600?C, 800?C and 1000?C), synthesis temperature (hydrothermal method 120?C, 140?C and 160?C), calcination time (combined complexation method EDTA/Citrate - 2, 4 and 6 hours) and time of synthesis (hydrothermal method 6, 15 and 24 hours). By the hydrothermal method was possible to produce mesoporous powders with high purity, with an average crystallite size up to 7 nm, with a surface area of 113.44 m?/g in the form of pellets with irregular morphology. By using the method of combined complexation EDTA/Citrate, mesoporous powders were produced with greater purity, crystallite size up to 22nm and 27.95 m?/g of surface area in the form of pellets with a regular morphology of plaques. In the experimental design was found that the hydrothermal method to all the studied parameters (pH, temperature and time) have significant effect on the crystallite size, while to the combined complexation method EDTA/Citrate, only temperature and time were significant / Neste trabalho foi sintetizada e caracterizada a ferrita de cobalto (CoFe2O4) atrav?s dos m?todos complexa??o combinada EDTA/Citrato e hidrot?rmico, investigando a influ?ncia das condi??es de s?ntese na forma??o da fase e no tamanho m?dio de cristalito. Os p?s foram caracterizados principalmente por difra??o de raios-x. Em casos espec?ficos, tamb?m foi utilizado microscopia eletr?nica de varredura (MEV), espectroscopia de energia dispersiva (EDS), fluoresc?ncia de raios-x (FRX) e isotermas de adsor??o e dessor??o de nitrog?nio (M?todo BET). O estudo do tamanho de cristalito foi baseado na interpreta??o dos difratogramas de raios-x obtidos e estimado atrav?s do m?todo de Halder-Wagner-Langford (HWL) e de Scherrer. Um planejamento experimental foi realizado com a finalidade de auxiliar na quantifica??o da influ?ncia das condi??es de s?ntese nas vari?veis-resposta. Os par?metros de s?ntese avaliados neste trabalho foram: pH do meio reacional (8, 9 e 10), temperatura de calcina??o (m?todo de complexa??o combinando EDTA/Citrato 600?C, 800?C e 1000?C), temperatura de s?ntese (m?todo hidrot?rmico 120?C, 140?C e 160?C), tempo de calcina??o (m?todo de complexa??o combinando EDTA/Citrato 2, 4 e 6 hrs) e tempo de s?ntese (m?todo hidrot?rmico 6, 15 e 24 hrs). Pelo m?todo hidrot?rmico foi poss?vel produzir p?s mesoporosos com elevado grau de pureza, com tamanho m?dio de cristalito de at? 7nm, com ?rea superficial de 113,44m?/g e na forma de aglomerados com morfologia irregular. Ao se utilizar o m?todo de complexa??o combinando EDTA/Citrato foram produzidos p?s mesoporosos com maior pureza, cristalitos com at? 22nm de tamanho, 27,95m?/g de ?rea superficial e na forma de aglomerados com morfologia regular de placas. No planejamento experimental foi constatado que no caso do m?todo hidrot?rmico todos os par?metros estudados (pH, Temperatura e tempo) apresentam efeito significativo no tamanho de cristalito, enquanto que, para o m?todo de complexa??o combinando EDTA/Citrato, apenas a temperatura e o tempo foram significativos / 2020-01-01

Fundação de Apoio a Pesquisa e à Inovação Tecnológica do Estado de Sergipe - FAPITEC/SE / The presence of high concentrations of toxic metals in water bodies requires a constant search for new and more effective methods to treat industrial waste. The present work proposes a technique for the removal of chromium present in leather tannery effluent, using a hybrid magnetic adsorbent, CoFe2O4/NOM, synthesized using an environmentally friendly procedure. Salts of the metals (Co and Fe) were used as precursors and natural organic matter (NOM) was used as the gelification agent, replacing the traditional reagents that are toxic and expensive. Comparisons were made of CoFe2O4/NOM produced at ambient temperature (FeAMB) and the materials produced after calcination at 200 (Fe200), 400 (Fe400), and 800 °C (Fe800). The materials were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry and infrared spectroscopy, which revealed the presence of NOM in the structure of the material, together with the formation of cobalt ferrite, hence confirming the suitability of the new synthesis route. Adsorption tests, performed as a function of pH and time, showed the effectiveness of FeAMB at the natural pH of the effluent (pH 4.2), while at pH 6.0 the removal percentages were approximately 94, 100, 98, and 89% for FeAMB, Fe200, Fe400, and Fe800, respectively, with corresponding equilibration times of 60, 120, 120, and 60 minutes, respectively. Kinetics assays showed that high adsorption of 70-87% was achieved after only 20 minutes. The adsorption kinetics could be fitted using a pseudo-second order model, and the likely removal mechanism was electrostatic attraction between carboxylate groups and the cationic chromium species CrOH2+ and Cr(OH)2 +. Amongst the adsorbents studied, the FeAMB/NOM hybrid material was especially attractive because it did not require heat treatment and showed high removal capacities during five reuse cycles, ranging from 96% in the first cycle to 82% in the fifth cycle. The residues remaining after the reuse cycles, comprising the FeAMB hybrid saturated with chromium (FeAMB_Sat) and the desorbed chromium solution (dried and calcined at 500 °C, denoted CrD), showed excellent catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, the latter being an important compound used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and corrosion inhibitors. The conversion rates and times were 99.9% and 55 seconds for vi FeAMB_Sat, and 99.9% and 3 seconds for CrD. A magnetic hybrid material (denoted FeSF) was also synthesized replacing the analytical grade iron salt precursor by a ferric sulfate solution derived from the treatment of iron ore mining waste. This hybrid was highly efficient as an adsorbent, with 98% removal of chromium present in an industrial effluent in only 20 minutes. The technique described here contributes to the development of industrial symbiosis since it uses materials prepared using natural substances and enables the reuse of waste in the production cycle. The procedure is a technologically viable alternative for the remediation of metal-contaminated effluents. / O aumento da concentração de metais tóxicos nos corpos hídricos impulsiona uma busca constante por tratamentos eficientes para remediar resíduos industriais. Portanto, neste trabalho é proposto a remediação do cromo existente em efluente industrial de curtimento de couro utilizando um adsorvente híbrido magnético, CoFe2O4/MON, sintetizado por uma rota modificada, eco-amigável. Utiliza-se como precursores sais dos metais de interesse e a matéria orgânica natural (MON) como substância gelificante, em substituição aos reagentes tradicionais que são tóxicos e de alto custo. Para fins comparativos, a CoFe2O4/MON obtida à temperatura ambiente (FeAMB) foi calcinada a 200 (Fe200), 400 (Fe400) e 800°C (Fe800) e a formação do material foi confirmada por difratometria de raios x, que indicou também, simultaneamente, com o infravermelho, a presença da MON na estrutura do material, a formação da ferrita de cobalto e assim, a eficácia da rota de síntese proposta. Os ensaios de adsorção em função do pH e do tempo, evidenciaram a eficiência da FeAMB, no pH natural do efluente (4,2), enquanto que para os demais, no pH 6,0; com percentuais de remoção de aproximadamente 94, 100, 98 e 89% para FeAMB, Fe200, Fe400, Fe800, respectivamente, e tempos de equilíbrio de 60, 120, 120 e 60 minutos. Entretanto, com apenas 20 minutos de ensaios cinéticos houve uma alta resposta de adsorção, entre 70-87%. A cinética de adsorção ajustou-se melhor ao modelo de pseudo-segunda ordem e o possível mecanismo de remoção ocorre por atração eletrostática entre os grupos carboxilatos e as espécies catiônicas do cromo, CrOH2+, Cr(OH)2 +. O material híbrido FeAMB/MON destaca-se entre os demais adsorventes em estudo por não ter sido submetido a tratamento térmico e porque apresentou uma elevada capacidade de remoção após ser submetido a cinco ciclos de reutilização, variando de 96% no primeiro ciclo para 82% no quinto ciclo. Os resíduos decorrentes dos ciclos de reutilização, o híbrido FeAMB saturado com cromo (FeAMB_Sat) e a solução de cromo dessorvido, seca e calcinada a 500°C (CrD), apresentaram excelentes potenciais catalíticos na redução do 4- nitrofenol a 4-aminofenol, o qual é um importante insumo para a síntese de produtos farmacêuticos e inibidores de corrosão. A taxa e o tempo de conversão da redução, foram de 99,9% e 55 segundos para FeAMB_Sat e 99,9% e 3 segundos para CrD. De modo eminente, também foi sintetizado um material híbrido magnético substituindo o precursor sal de ferro em grau analítico por solução de sulfato férrico oriunda de um resíduo tratado da mineração de ferro, denominado FeSF. Este híbrido revelou uma eficiência notável como adsorvente, pois o percentual de remoção de cromo presente em efluente industrial foi de 98% em apenas 20 minutos. Diante disso, o presente estudo contribuiu para a prática da simbiose industrial ao propor o emprego de substâncias naturais na elaboração de materiais, bem como a reutilização dos resíduos, e sua reinserção no ciclo produtivo desenvolvendo uma alternativa tecnologicamente viável para remediação de metais.

Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde der Einfluss von Defekten auf die Eigenschaften von Ferrit-Dünnfilmen untersucht. Die Dünnfilme wurden mit Hilfe von gepulster Laserabscheidung bei verschiedenen Züchtungsparametern hergestellt. Durch Variation der Substrattemperatur und des Sauerstoffpartialdrucks wurden Dünnfilme verschiedener kristalliner Qualität gezüchtet. Diese wurden hinsichtlich ihrer chemischen Komposition mit Hilfe von energie-dispersiver Röntgenspektroskopie und Röntgenphotoelektronenspektroskopie untersucht. Durch Korrelation der Ergebnisse mit Messungen zum zirkularen magnetischen Röntgendichroismus, konnte eine partielle Inversion der Spinellstruktur nachgewiesen werden. Der Grad der Inversion ist höher für geringe Abscheidetemperaturen. Für diese defektreichen Dünnfilme zeigen Röntgenbeugungsuntersuchungen eine geringere kristalline Ordnung der Dünnfilme. Die strukturellen Defekte haben einen maßgeblichen Einfluss auf die elektrischen und magnetischen Eigenschaften der Ferrit-Dünnfilme. So zeigen die Ferrit-Dünnfilme für geringe Züchtungstemperaturen eine erhöhte elektrische Leitfähigkeit, während Dünnfilme, die bei hohen Substrattemperaturen gezüchtet wurden, isolierend sind. Die Temperaturabhängigkeit der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit kann auf thermisch aktivierte Hopping-Leitung oder die Leitung zwischen Clustern, die in einer Matrix eingebettet sind, zurückgeführt werden. Die magnetischen Eigenschaften von Zinkferrit-Dünnfilmen werden maßgeblich durch Defekte in der Spinellstruktur bestimmt, da es nominell in der normalen Spinellstruktur kristallisiert und daher antiferromagnetisch ist. Die partielle Inversion der Eisen- und Zinkionen führt zu Ferrimagnetismus in den Zinkferrit-Dünnfilmen, der mit Hilfe von SQUID-Messungen in dieser Arbeit eingehend untersucht wurde. Durch Korrelation der Ergebnisse der verschiedenen Untersuchungsmethoden konnten Rückschlüsse auf die dominierenden Defekte in den Ferrit-Dünnfilmen geschlossen werden. So sind zum einen Defekte auf atomarer Skala, wie Antisite-Defekte und divalenten Fe-Ionen für die erhöhte elektrische Leitfähigkeit und die größere Magnetisierung der defektreichen Dünnfilme verantwortlich. Zum anderen können ausgedehnte Defekte, im Speziellen Cluster, die in einer amorphen Matrix eingebettet sind, nicht ausgeschlossen werden.

When a permanent magnet is considered for an application, the quantity that quantifies the usability of that material is the magnetic energy product (BH)max. In today’s world, rare earth transition metal permanent magnets like Nd-Fe-B, Sm-Co possesses the maximum magnetic energy product. But still for the industrial application, the ferrite permanent magnets are the primary choice over these rare transition metal magnets. Thus, in the present context, the magnetic energy product of the low cost ferrite system makes it unsuitable for the high magnetic energy application. In this regard, exchange spring magnets which combine the magnetization of the soft phase and coercivity of the hard magnetic phases become important in enhancing the magnetic energy product of the system. In this thesis, the exchange spring behaviour is reported for the first time in hard/soft oxide nanocomposites by microstructural tailoring of hard Barium Ferrite and soft Nickel Zinc Ferrite particles. We have analyzed the magnetization reversal and its correlation with the coercivity mechanism in the Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4/BaFe12O19 exchange spring systems. Using this exchange spring concept, we could enhance the magnetic energy product in Iron Oxide/ Barium Calcium Ferrite nanocomposites compared to the bare hard ferrite by ~13%. The presence of the exchange interaction in this nanocomposite is confirmed by the Henkel plot. Moreover, a detailed Reitveld study, magnetization loop and corresponding variation of the magnetic energy product, Henkel plot analysis and First Order Reversal Curve analysis are performed on nanocomposites of hard Strontium Ferrite and soft Cobalt Ferrite. We have proved the exchange spring behaviour in this composite. In addition, we could successfully tailor the magnetization behaviour of the soft Cobalt Ferrite- hard Strontium Ferrite nanocomposite from non exchange spring behaviour to exchange spring behaviour, by tuning the size of the soft Cobalt Ferrite in the Cobalt Ferrite/Strontium Ferrite nanocomposite. The relative strength of the interaction governing the magnetization process in the composites has been studied using Henkel plot and First Order Reversal Curve method. The FORC method has been utilized to understand the magnetization reversal behaviour as well as the extent of the irreversible magnetization present in both the nanocomposites, having smaller and larger particle size of the Cobalt Ferrite. It has been found that for the all the studied composites, the pinning is the dominant process for magnetization reversal. The detailed structural analysis using thin film XRD, angle dependent magnetic hysteresis and remanent coercivity measurement, coercivity mechanism by micromagnetic analysis and First Order Reversal Curve analysis are performed for thin films of Strontium Ferrite which are grown on c-plane alumina using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) at two different oxygen partial pressures. The magnetic easy directions of both the films lie in the out of plane direction where as the in plane direction corresponds to the magnetic hard direction. Depending on the oxygen partial pressure during deposition, the magnetization reversal changes from S-W type reversal to Kondorsky kind of reversal. Thus, the growth parameter for the Strontium Ferrite single layer which will be used further as a hard layer for realizing oxide exchange spring in oxide multilayer, is optimized. The details of the magnetic and structural properties are analyzed for Nickel Zinc Ferrite thin film grown on (100) MgAl2O4. We have obtained an epitaxial growth of Nickel Zinc Ferrite by tuning the growth parameters of PLD deposition. The ferromagnetic resonance and the angle dependent hysteresis loop suggest that, the magnetic easy direction for the soft Nickel Zinc Ferrite lie in the film plane whereas the out of plane direction is the magnetic hard direction. Using the growth condition of respective Nickel Zinc Ferrite and Strontium Ferrite, we have realized the exchange spring behaviour for the first time in the trilayer structure of SrFe12O19 (20 nm)/Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4(20 nm)/ SrFe12O19 (20 nm) grown on c-plane alumina (Al2O3) using PLD. The FORC distribution for this trilayer structure shows the single switching behaviour, corresponding to the exchange spring behaviour. The reversible ridge measurement shows that the reversible and the irreversible part of the magnetizations are not coupled with each other.