Mictomagnetism in a new BaO.Fe2O3.B2O3 glass.

An homogeneous BaO ·Fe₂O₃ ·B₂O₃ glass containing 30% Fe₂O₃ is prepared by a splat-cooling technique. X-ray and electron diffraction reveal the product to be amorphous at room temperature. The crystallization, as shown by DTA studies, begins at 750 K, and up to 950 K, a temperature at which BaFe₁₂O₁₉ is shown to be present, the crystallizing products are mainly evolutive.The magnetic measurements show a probably mictomagnetic behaviour at low temperature with a maximum of magnetic susceptibility at 12 (±1) K. At higher temperature the susceptibility obeys a Curie-Weiss law with large negative Weiss constant and low Curie constant per Fe³⁺ ions. After crystallization the product is ferrimagnetic and could be used as a permanent magnet.Mössbauer study reveals that the glass mainly consists of Fe³⁺ ions in distorted sites and a hyperfine structure at low temperature; the magnetic ordering temperature is estimated to be about 44 (±1) K.