Orientation process of acicular oxides in the magnetic tape layer

The orientation of acicular particles in the active layer of a magnetic tape is presently a usual technological process applied in magnetic tape production. The theory of this process is dealt with. A mathematical model is deduced, describing the behavior of an isolated agglomerate of acicular particles in an external magnetic field and the change of its microstructure, i.e., the orientation of acicular particles in the agglomerate. The term for the density of probability ω(α) of the angle distribution α of the longer particle axes in the orientated agglomerate is also deduced. Also the approximate relation between the orientation degree, defined by the mean quadratic deviationsof the angles α of the particular particles and by the bevel values γ of the deformed agglomerate, is shown. It appears that, besides the orientation by means of the external magnetic field, it would also be possible to orientate the magnetic suspension by other methods.     

The DORF effect: Magnetization ripple in particulate media

In 1966, Pearce [1] introduced without analysis the DORF Effect (DisOrientation by Reverse Field) in liquid dispersions of acicular magnetic particles. Bate and Dunn [2] modified orientation magnets to circumvent the effect and produce recording tapes with improved orientation. This paper describes studies of the DORF Effect and analyzes the behavior of particle groups in liquid media when a reverse field is applied. Magnetization reversal occurs by particle group rotation through a symmetric fanning mechanism which shares features with the magnetization ripple phenomenon [3,4] in continuous metal films. The critical field for particle disorientation follows a dipole-dipole interaction relation like that discussed by Jacobs and Bean [5]. For gamma ferric oxide, critical fields are distributed over the range from 20 to 100 Oe. Rotating sample magnetometer data show the DORF Effect is a destruction of uniaxial anisotropy without creation of biaxial or other anisotropies. Hysteresis work in liquid samples is almost totally due to friction between moving particles.     

Properties of Dense Assemblies of Magnetic Nanoparticles Promising for Application in Biomedicine

Chemically synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles and magnetosomes produced by magnetotactic bacteria are of great importance for application in biomedicine. In this paper, we discuss the complicated magnetic anisotropy of the nanoparticles, the influence of the magnetostatic interactions, and thermal fluctuations on the behavior of these assemblies. Numerical simulation for dilute assemblies of iron oxide nanoparticles with combined magnetic anisotropy show that the uniaxial shape anisotropy dominates even for small aspect ratios of the particle, L/D≥1.1–1.2. The quasistatic hysteresis loops are calculated for various clusters of bacterial magnetosomes with diameters D=40–60 nm to understand the influence of magnetostatic interactions. The specific absorption rate (SAR) is calculated for assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles dispersed in solid and liquid media. A new electrodynamic method of measurement is used to obtain the SAR of the assembly of bacterial magnetosomes with average diameter D=48 nm.     

Temperature dependent magnetic properties of barium-ferritethin-film recording media

Temperature dependencies of magnetic properties were measured in barium-ferrite thin films with grains having in-plane aligned as well as randomly oriented easy axes. The temperature dependence of H_c was shown to be similar to that of the effective anisotropy field, which is determined by the crystalline and shape anisotropies. The measured H _c values in the easy-axis aligned and randomly oriented films are significantly smaller than those predicted by the Stoner-Wohlfarth (SW) coherent rotation model. Such discrepancies are believed to be caused by incoherent rotation. Deviations from the SW model were also found within a wide temperature range in the angular dependence of coercivity and remanent coercivity, the field dependence of torque and rotational hysteresis. These led to the conclusion that temperature has only weak affects on the rotation mode of the magnetization. The discrepancies between the thermal activation volume and the grain size which were found previously at room temperature, and were believed to be yet another signature of incoherent rotation, were shown to also exist at a low temperature of 173 K     

SOIL STRUCTURE CHARACTERIZATION USING ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

The interaction effects of particle shape, orientation, porosity, and relative disparity between electrical parameters (conductivity and dielectric constant) of soil particles and pore fluid on electrical response of bulk soil at very low and very high frequencies of excitation by an alternating current are studied and compared with experimental data. The type of pore fluid and soil mineral can have a large influence on the response. The ratio of conductivities (and permittivities) of the solid particle to pore fluid has a significant influence on the electrical response of soils. Higher ratios reduce the effects of particle shape and the anisotropy arising from particle orientation. Results indicate that the electrical response, in general, can be used to characterize soil structure, detect anisotropy and identify pore fluid characteristics.     

Explosively generated pulse propagation through particles containing natural cracks

An experimental study is conducted to study dynamic load transfer through particulate assemblies containing a damaged particle. The assembly is simulated by a one-dimensional array of circular disks, and the damage itself by a natural, zero-width crack. This assembly is explosively loaded and the dynamic load transfer process observed using dynamic photoelasticity and strain gages, as the stress wave pulse propagates down the assembly. Attention is focussed on the influence of damage size and orientation on the group wave velocity, wave dispersion and peak contact load attenuation of the stress wave pulse. Damage growth occurring from the interaction of the stress wave pulse with the closed natural crack tip is also studied. The results demonstrate that the inclusion of a damaged particle greatly influences the load transfer process, both locally and in the far field. The degree to which the damaged particle modifies the load transfer process is more dependent upon the orientation of the natural crack than upon the size of the crack. Moreover, damage growth within the damaged particles is also a strong function of the orientation of the natural crack.     

DNA-nanoparticle superlattices formed from anisotropic building blocks

Directional bonding interactions in solid-state atomic lattices dictate the unique symmetries of atomic crystals, resulting in a diverse and complex assortment of three-dimensional structures that exhibit a wide variety of material properties. Methods to create analogous nanoparticle superlattices are beginning to be realized, but the concept of anisotropy is still largely underdeveloped in most particle assembly schemes. Some examples provide interesting methods to take advantage of anisotropic effects, but most are able to make only small clusters or lattices that are limited in crystallinity and especially in lattice parameter programmability. Anisotropic nanoparticles can be used to impart directional bonding interactions on the nanoscale, both through face-selective functionalization of the particle with recognition elements to introduce the concept of valency, and through anisotropic interactions resulting from particle shape. In this work, we examine the concept of inherent shape-directed crystallization in the context of DNA-mediated nanoparticle assembly. Importantly, we show how the anisotropy of these particles can be used to synthesize one-, two- and three-dimensional structures that cannot be made through the assembly of spherical particles.     

Remanence properties of substituted Ba-ferrite particles for highdensity magnetic recording

In this paper, the remanence properties of Co-Sn, Co-Ti and Co-Ti-Sn substituted Ba-ferrite (BaF) oriented particulate samples are compared with those of some oriented acicular particulate samples. A new parameter, the minor remanence distribution (MRD), is proposed to review the remanence properties of magnetic particles and the capabilities for resisting the recording demagnetization of magnetic recording media. It is shown that the MRD values of the oriented BaF particulate samples were smaller compared to oriented Co-γ-Fe₂O₃ samples, even though the squareness ratios (SR) of some of the BaF samples were smaller than those of the Co-γ-Fe₂O₃ samples. It Is the small MRD, SFD_r, IRS and large DH _r of a medium that can result in a large resistance to the effects of recording demagnetization and therefore in superior characteristics for high density magnetic recording. Since Co-Sn substituted BaF platelet-shaped particles exhibit these characteristics and have a very low temperature coefficient of coercivity, these particles can be expected to be a promising candidate for high density magnetic recording     

Anisotropic and Particle-Particle Interaction Effect in a One-Dimensional System of Magnetic Particles

We have studied the effect of the shape anisotropy in a system that consists of a chain of N identical spherical particles each of magnetic dipole moment μ and that has an easy axis. By considering two particle interactions (Dimer Model) we have investigated two different distinct cases depending on the direction of the applied field H and the orientation (ξ) of the easy axis relative to H. We found that for the randomly oriented easy axis (ξ) and for H parallel or perpendicular to the chain the anisotropy has no effect on the ferromagnetic state. For fixed orientation (ξ) an interplay between ferromagnetic-like and anti-ferromagnetic-like behavior exists. The existence of each behavior is strongly dependent on the anisotropy K and the direction of H relative to the chain.     

Temperature dependent coercivity of randomly assembled acicular Fe3O4 particles

Abstract

The Stoner‐Wohlfarth model and the chain‐of‐spheres fanning model are used to calculate temperature dependence of the coercivity of acicular single‐domain particles by taking thermal effect into consideration. Coercivity of the particles is evaluated by summing up the contributions of shape anisotropy, magnetocrystalline anisotropy and magnetostrictive anisotropy. The coercivities of randomly assembled Fe₃O₄ particles above the transition point (119°K) and below room temperature are calculated and compared with the published experimental data.     

Strength of non-spherical particles with anisotropic geometries under triaxial and shearing loading configurations

This paper presents a study on the macroscopic shear strength characteristics of granular assemblies with three- dimensional complex-shaped particles. Different assemblies are considered, with both isotropic and anisotropic particle geometries. The study is conducted using the discrete element method (DEM), with so-called sphero-polyhedral particles, and simulations of mechanical true triaxial tests for a range of Lode angles and confining pressures. The observed mathematical failure envelopes are investigated in the Haigh–Westergaard stress space, as well as on the deviatoric-mean pressure plane. It is verified that the DEM with non-spherical particles produces results that are qualitatively similar to experimental data and previous numerical results obtained with spherical elements. The simulations reproduce quite well the shear strength of assemblies of granular media, such as higher strength during compression than during extension. In contrast, by introducing anisotropy at the particle level, the shear strength parameters are greatly affected, and an isotropic failure criterion is no longer valid. It is observed that the strength of the anisotropic assembly depends on the direction of loading, as observed for real soils. Finally simulations on a virtual shearing test show how the velocity profile within the shear band is also affected by the grain’s shape.     

Fabric rates of elliptical particle assembly in monotonic and cyclic simple shear tests: a numerical study

This paper aims to investigate the evolutions of microscopic structures of elliptical particle assemblies in both monotonic and cyclic constant volume simple shear tests using the discrete element method. Microscopic structures, such as particle orientations, contact normals and contact forces, were obtained from the simulations. Elliptical particles with the same aspect ratio (1.4 and 1.7 respectively for the two specimens) were generated with random particle directions, compacted in layers, and then precompressed to a low pressure one-dimensionally to produce an inherently anisotropic specimen. The specimens were sheared in two perpendicular directions (shear mode I and II) in a strain-rate controlled way so that the effects of inherent anisotropy can be examined. The anisotropy of particle orientation increases and the principal direction of particle orientation rotates with the shearing of the specimen in the monotonic tests. The shear mode can affect the way fabric anisotropy rate of particle orientation responds to shear strain as a result of the initial anisotropy. The particle aspect ratio exhibits quantitative influence on some fabric rates, including particle orientation, contact normal and sliding contact normal. The fabric rates of contact normal, sliding contact normal, contact force, strong and weak contact forces fluctuate dramatically around zero after the shear strain exceeds 4 % in the monotonic tests and throughout the cyclic tests. Fabric rates of contact normals and forces are much larger than that of particle orientation. The particle orientation based fabric tensor is harder to evolve than the contact normal or contact force based because the reorientation of particles is more difficult than that of contacts.     

An investigation of magnetic oxides' defects and conflict of anisotropies for diluted powders

Magnetostatic measurements and rotational hysteresis were carried out on extremely diluted samples of pure, surface modified, bulk doped iron oxides and CrO2. It is found that in all these materials but pure γ-Fe2O3a conflict of anisotropy is active. As a result, the values of remanence ratio jrcan be either lower or higher than the theoretical value of ½ for strictly uniaxial particles depending on the angle between the two anisotropy axis and the relative value of the anisotropy constants. It is therefore found that whilej_{r} < 1/2for acicular magnetite and CrO2, the introduction of cobalt always produces an increase of jr: the extreme effect of such conflict can be found in high remanence isotropic particles. Such a conflict is minimized in Surface Modified Materials. From rotational hysteresis, Hcvs. angle with applied field and, over all, from CF and IFF parameters, it is suggested that the postreatment of the iron oxides with the Co-containing solutions, beside the increase of Hc, has a beneficial effect on the morphology of the particles.     

Silver Nanoparticles with Controlled Dispersity and Their Assembly into Superstructures

In this paper we report on the influence of particle size distribution, particle substrate interaction, and drying behavior on the self‐assembly process using ligand stabilized silver particles. Two‐dimensional particle arrays were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and extensive image analysis. The formation of such structures was observed in situ using an environmental scanning electron microscope in WET‐STEM mode. The results confirm that a small particle size distribution is crucial for the formation of regular particle patterns with long range order, but also the particle substrate interaction and the particle density have an influence on the degree of ordering. Additionally, we find that separated binary particle assemblies keep the orientation of their two‐dimensional hexagonal lattices over alternating domains of small and big particles. This is probably enabled due to the formation of dislocations and a small change of the course of the lattice lines within the respective boundary.     

Alignment under Magnetic Field of Mixed Fe2O3/SiO2 Colloidal Mesoporous Particles Induced by Shape Anisotropy

When using the bottom‐up approach with anisotropic building‐blocks, an important goal is to find simple methods to elaborate nanocomposite materials with a truly macroscopic anisotropy. Here, micrometer size colloidal mesoporous particles with a highly anisotropic rod‐like shape (aspect ratio ≈ 10) have been fabricated from silica (SiO₂) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). When dispersed in a solvent, these particles can be easily oriented using a magnetic field (≈200 mT). A macroscopic orientation of the particles is achieved, with their long axis parallel to the field, due to the shape anisotropy of the magnetic component of the particles. The iron oxide nanocrystals are confined inside the porosity and they form columns in the nanochannels. Two different polymorphs of Fe₂O₃ iron oxide have been stabilized, the superparamagnetic γ‐phase and the rarest multiferroic ε‐phase. The phase transformation between these two polymorphs occurs around 900 °C. Because growth occurs under confinement, a preferred crystallographic orientation of iron oxide is obtained, and structural relationships between the two polymorphs are revealed. These findings open completely new possibilities for the design of macroscopically oriented mesoporous nanocomposites, using such strongly anisotropic Fe₂O₃/silica particles. Moreover, in the case of the ε‐phase, nanocomposites with original anisotropic magnetic properties are in view.     

Intrinsic coercive force variation with packing in fine particle assemblies

A formula is given to describe the variation of intrinsic coercive force with packing in elongated single domain (ESD) iron particle assemblies. A similar formula, which describes this variation in barium ferrite particle assemblies, is formally identical to the other one by simply changingp(packing) into1 - p(porosity). Magnetic interactions are considered, and an overall interaction field is defined that may account for intrinsic coercive force variations in the case of ESD iron particles. Experimental results on barium ferrite particle assemblies are presented that suggest the existence of a critical packing factor (p sim 0.15) separating two different, but not specified, modes of interaction.     

Aligned Solidification Structure of the MnBi Phase in Semisolidified Bi-Mn Alloy with a Static Magnetic Field

The solidification structure of Bi-3 wt pct Mn alloy grown up in the semisolid zone under the influence of a staticmagnetic field (up to 1.0 T) and the relation of the magnetic property with the solidification structure have beeninvestigated experimentally. It was shown that the primary phase MnBi crystals in the alloy aligned and oriented alongthe direction of the applied magnetic field. The orientating tendency and the average length of the elongated MnBicrystals increased with the increase of the applied field and the solidification time. Moreover, the remanence of thealloy along the aligned direction of the MnBi phase in the case of solidification with a magnetic field was apparentlyanisotropic and nearly double of that without the magnetic field. This indicated that the MnBi crystals orientedand aligned along their easy magnetization axis. A model was proposed to explain the alignment and orientationgrowth of the MnBi crystals in a magnetic field in terms of the magnetic anisotropy of the crystals     

The influence of particle orientation on the loading condition of pebbles in fluvial gravel

The loading conditions of pebbles in fluvial gravel deposits were studied with different degrees of preferred particle orientation. Sediments that are comprised of non-spherical particles often show a preferred particle orientation, due to dynamic sedimentation. Here, the impact of this effect on the loading conditions of the particles and its implication on particle breakage was investigated by using discrete element simulations in three dimensions. The numerical models are based on the size and shape distribution of pebbles from a natural gravel sample. In addition, the particle size in some of the models was chosen to be uniform, to study the influence of the particle size distribution on the loading condition. Fluvial pebbles, whose shapes can be at best approximated by ellipsoids, were efficiently simulated in the discrete element models by the use of clumps. The results show that a preferred orientation of approximate ellipsoidal sedimentary particles has only a minor effect on the number and the position of particle contacts but leads to a significant load transfer from the rim to the centre of the oblate sides of the ellipsoidal particles, in comparison to an assembly of arbitrarily oriented particles. The comparison of the different particle size models indicates that the influence of the particle size distribution on the loading condition is relatively low. The results have significant implications for the breakage rate of non-spherical particles in sediments under load.     

On the role of particles distribution on damage and fatigue mechanisms

Damage and fatigue properties of steel grades are often related to particles shape and chemical composition. To understand the role of particles on damage and fatigue mechanisms numerical modelling at the microscale level can be helpful. It is shown here how forging can induce an oriented microstructure (grain flow orientation) that induces anisotropic damage and fatigue behaviour. Then a microstructure builder (DIGIMICRO) is presented to illustrate how it is possible to create a realistic microstructure in an elementary volume. Computations performed within this heterogeneous elementary volume can be used to understand the anisotropy induced by particles shape and orientation.