Controlled wrinkling of single-layer graphene (1-LG) at nanometer scale was achieved by introducing monodisperse nanoparticles (NPs), with size comparable to the strain coherence length, underneath the 1-LG. Typical fingerprint of the delaminated fraction is identified as substantial contribution to the principal Raman modes of the 1-LG (G and G’). Correlation analysis of the Raman shift of the G and G’ modes clearly resolved the 1-LG in contact and delaminated from the substrate, respectively. Intensity of Raman features of the delaminated 1-LG increases linearly with the amount of the wrinkles, as determined by advanced processing of atomic force microscopy data. Our study thus offers universal approach for both fine tuning and facile quantification of the graphene topography up to ~60% of wrinkling.

Surface spin canting has been studied for high quality magnetite nanoparticles in terms of size and shape uniformity. Particles were prepared by thermal decomposition of organic precursors in organic media and in the presence of oleic acid. Results are compared to spin canting effect for magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles of similar size prepared by coprecipitation and subsequently coated with silica. Magnetic characterization and Mössbauer spectroscopy at low temperature and in the presence of a magnetic field have been used in this study. Transmission electron microscopy images and x-ray diffractograms show that iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized by thermal decomposition are more uniform than those prepared by coprecipitation, and they have higher crystal order. Magnetic measurements show superparamagnetic behavior for both samples at room temperature but particles synthesized by thermal decomposition shows higher saturation magnetization and lower coercivity at low temperature. The imaginary part of the ac susceptibility has been used to support the presence of mainly magnetite instead of maghemite in these iron oxide nanoparticles. Mössbauer measurements with and without field demonstrate surface spin canting, only in the octahedral positions for the coprecipitation particles. However, high synthesis temperature and the presence of oleic acid molecules covalently bonded at the particle surface, accounting for the lack of spin canting in particles prepared by thermal decomposition, which justifies the high saturation magnetization and low coercivity at low temperature.

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We have investigated the magnetic response of residual metal catalyst in the raw and super purified HiPco single wall carbon nanotubes (HiPco_raw and HiPco_SP SWCNTs). It has been shown that the residual metal catalyst is in the form of nanoparticles, even in the HiPco_SP SWCNTs that should contain a minimal amount of the metal. M€ ossbauer spectroscopy of the HiPco_raw SWCNTs proved the catalyst nanoparticles are in the form of Fe 3 C. Analysis of the synchrotron X-ray diffraction data provided an average diameter of nanoparticles about 1.9 nm. Magnetic studies by means of temperature dependence of magnetization, magnetization isotherms and susceptibility suggested that the nanoparticles obey the behavior of weakly interacting superparamagnetic systems in both samples. Further analysis of the data revealed a coreÀshell structure of the nanoparticles in the HiPco_raw nanotubes, with a magnetically oriented core and a paramagnetic shell, which is almost removed in the case of the HiPco_SP catalyst nanoparticles.

We present an approach that allows for the preparation of well-defined large arrays of graphene wrinkles with predictable geometry. Chemical vapor deposition grown graphene transferred onto hexagonal pillar arrays of SiO2 with sufficiently small interpillar distance forms a complex network of two main types of wrinkle arrangements. The first type is composed of arrays of aligned equidistantly separated parallel wrinkles propagating over large distances, and originates from line interfaces in the graphene, such as thin, long wrinkles and graphene grain boundaries. The second type of wrinkle arrangement is composed of non-aligned short wrinkles, formed in areas without line interfaces. Besides the presented hybrid graphene topography with distinct wrinkle geometries induced by the pre-patterned substrate, the graphene layers are suspended and self-supporting, exhibiting large surface area and negligible doping effects from the substrate. All these properties make this wrinkled graphene a promising candidate for a material with enhanced chemical reactivity useful in nanoelectronic applications.

This work aims to emphasize that the magnetic response of single-domain magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) is driven by the NPs' internal structure, and the NP size dependencies of magnetic properties are overestimated. The relationship between the degree of the NPs' crystallinity and magnetic response is unambiguously demonstrated in eight samples of uniform maghemite/magnetite NPs and corroborated with the results obtained for about 20 samples of spinel ferrite NPs with different degrees of crystallinity. The NP samples were prepared by the thermal decomposition of an organic iron precursor subjected to varying reaction conditions, yielding variations in the NP size, shape and relative crystallinity. We characterized the samples by using several complementary methods, such as powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM (HR-TEM) and Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS). We evaluated the NPs' relative crystallinity by comparing the NP sizes determined from TEM and PXRD and further inspecting the NPs' internal structure and relative crystallinity by using HR-TEM. The results of the structural characterization were put in the context of the NPs' magnetic response. In this work, the highest saturation magnetization (M) was measured for the smallest but well-crystalline NPs, while the larger NPs exhibiting worse crystallinity revealed a lower M. Our results clearly demonstrate that the NP crystallinity level that is mirrored in the internal spin order drives the specific magnetic response of the single-domain NPs.

Control over magnetism in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene is of fundamental importance. Creation and manipulation using the unpaired spins without the need for archetypal magnetic elements results in sp(2)-hybridised nanocarbons being at the forefront of applications in both spintronics and nanoelectronics. The crucial limitation for the experimental observation of the intrinsic carbon magnetism stems from the presence of magnetic impurities, from which a magnetic response usually dominates. Thus, the rigorous identification of such magnetic impurities and their efficient removal is of enormous importance. The present review reports on the current state-of-the-art methodology for the detection and quantification of magnetic impurities in SWCNTs and graphene, reflecting both the preparation and subsequent purification procedures. First, the most common techniques for the preparation of SWCNTs (i.e., arc discharge, laser ablation and chemical vapour deposition) and the corresponding magnetic impurities are reviewed. Then, the available volume, surface and local probes for the identification and quantification of the impurities are discussed, and their efficiency and limitations are evaluated for the given cases. A summary of the current understanding of graphene-related magnetism in the context of the identified impurities is also given. Finally, the key knowledge is reviewed with respect to future prospects in the field.

This chapter focuses on the relationship between structural and magnetic properties of cubic spinel ferrite MFe 2 O 4 (M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) nanoparticles (NPs). First, a brief overview of the preparation methods yielding well-developed NPs is given. Then, key parameters of magnetic NPs representing their structural and magnetic properties are summarized with link to the relevant methods of characterization. Peculiar features of magnetism in real systems of the NPs at atomic, single-particle, and mesoscopic level, respectively, are also discussed. Finally, the significant part of the chapter is devoted to the discussion of the structural and magnetic properties of the NPs in the context of the relevant preparation routes. Future outlooks in the field profiting from tailoring of the NP properties by doping or design of core-shell spinel-only particles are given.