A series of ferrofluids containing 4.7 nm particles of amorphous Fe1-x
Cx with an extremely narrow size distribution and a wide range of conc
entrations has been prepared. A dilute ferrofluid has been studied by
electron microscopy, Mossbauer spectroscopy and zero field cooled magn
etisation measurements, Assuming the Neel law for the superparamagneti
c relaxation time, we have estimated tau(0) = 2 x 10(-11) s and K = 1.
4 x 10(5) Jm(-3). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.