The effect of oxidation on the Verwey transition in magnetite
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The effect of oxidation on the Verwey transition in magnetite
Published Date
1993
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Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union)
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Article
Abstract
At the Verwey transition (Tv≈110–120 K), magnetite transforms from monoclinic to cubic spinel structure. It has long been believed that magnetic remanence and susceptibility would change markedly at Tv in the case of coarse grains but only slightly or inappreciably in the case of fine (<1 µm) grains. We find on the contrary that remanence changes at Tv by 50–80% in both large and small crystals, if they are stoichiometric. However, minor surface oxidation suppresses the transition, and the fact that fine grains oxidize more readily leads to an apparent size dependence. Our experiments used submicron magnetite cubes with mean sizes of 0.037, 0.076, 0.10 and 0.22 µm which were initially non-stoichiometric (oxidation parameter z from 0.2–0.7). A saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) given in a 2.5 T field at 5 K decreased steadily during zero-field warming to 300 K with little or no indication of the Verwey transition. After the oxidized surface of each crystal was reduced to stoichiometric magnetite, the SIRM decreased sharply during warming by 50–80% around 110 K. The change in SIRM for the 0.22 µm grains was almost identical to that measured for a 1.5 mm natural magnetite crystal. Thus a 10^12 change in particle volume does not materially affect the remanence transition at Tv but oxidation to z=0.3 essentially suppresses the transition. The effect of the degree of oxidation on Tv provides a sensitive test for maghemitization in soils, sediments and rocks.
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This research was supported by NSERC Operating Grant A7709 to D.J.D. This is contribution 9302 of the Institute for Rock Magnetism. Support for the IRM is provided by grants from the Keck Foundation and the National Science Foundation.
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10.1029/93GL01483
Previously Published Citation
Özdemir, Ö., D. J. Dunlop and B. M. Moskowitz (1993). "The effect of oxidation of the Verwey transition in magnetite." Geophysical Research Letters 20: 1671–1674.
Suggested citation
Özdemir, Özden; Dunlop, David; Moskowitz, Bruce. (1993). The effect of oxidation on the Verwey transition in magnetite. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, 10.1029/93GL01483.
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