Single-source-precursor synthesis of soft magnetic Fe3Si- and Fe5Si3-containing SiOC ceramic nanocomposites

We present here the single-source-precursor synthesis of Fe₃Si and Fe₅Si₃-containing SiOC ceramic nanocomposites and investigation of their magnetic properties. The materials were prepared upon chemical modification of a hydroxy- and ethoxy-substituted polymethylsilsesquioxane with iron (III) acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)₃) in different amounts (5, 15, 30 and 50 wt%), followed by cross-linking at 180 °C and pyrolysis in argon at temperatures ranging from 1000 °C to 1500 °C. The polymer-to-ceramic transformation of the iron-modified polysilsesquioxane and the evolution at high temperatures of the synthesized SiFeOC-based nanocomposite were studied by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with evolved gas analysis (EGA) as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD). Upon pyrolysis at 1100 °C, the non-modified polysilsesquioxane converts into an amorphous SiOC ceramic; whereas the iron-modified precursors lead to Fe₃Si/SiOC nanocomposites. Annealing of Fe₃Si/SiOC at temperatures exceeding 1300 °C induced the crystallization of Fe₅Si₃ and β-SiC. The crystallization of the different iron-containing phases at different temperatures is considered to be a consequence of the in situ generation of a Fe–C–Si alloy within the materials during pyrolysis. Depending on the Fe and Si content in the alloy, either Fe₃Si and graphitic carbon (at 1000–1200 °C) or Fe₅Si₃ and β-SiC (at T > 1300 °C) crystallize. All SiFeOC-based ceramic samples were found to exhibit soft magnetic properties. Magnetization versus applied field measurements of the samples show a saturation magnetization up to 26.0 emu/g, depending on the Fe content within the SiFeOC-based samples as well as on the crystalline iron silicide phases formed during pyrolysis.