Mossbauer and magnetic characterisation of carbon-coated small iron particles

Carbon-coated Fe particles have been produced by the Kratschmer-Huffmann ca rbon-arc discharge method. Soot, collarette and cathode samples have been s eparately characterised by Mossbauer spectroscopy and magnetisation measure ments in the temperature range 4.2-300 K. From the analysis of the results the content of the different Fe phases and Fe-carbon solid solutions in our samples has been determined, as well as an estimation of particle sizes, w hich were found to be approximately 9 and 13 nm for the soot and collarette samples, respectively. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.