Magnetotactic bacteria benefit from their ability to form cellular magnetic dipoles by assembling stable single-domain ferromagnetic particles in chains as a means to navigate along Earth's magnetic field lines on their way to favorable habitats. We studied the assembly of nanosized membrane-encapsulated magnetite particles (magnetosomes) by ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy using Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense cultured in a time-resolved experimental setting. The spectroscopic data show that 1), magnetic particle growth is not synchronized; 2), the increase in particle numbers is insufficient to build up cellular magnetic dipoles; and 3), dipoles of assembled magnetosome blocks occur when the first magnetite particles reach a stable single-domain state. These stable single-domain particles can act as magnetic docks to stabilize the remaining and/or newly nucleated superparamagnetic particles in their adjacencies. We postulate that docking is a key mechanism for building the functional cellular magnetic dipole, which in turn is required for magnetotaxis in bacteria.
The glass-forming ability of Fe-based metallic glasses has a direct relationship with their metalloid content. A good glass-former usually needs a metalloid content of approximately 20at.%. However, a high metalloid content causes deterioration not only in magnetic properties but also in elasticity and plasticity. Based on destabilization of the solid state we have developed a series of metalloid-free Fe-based metallic glasses of composition (Fe0.582Co0.418)100−x−yCrxZry (10⩽x⩽28 and 8⩽y⩽11). Via this destabilization the liquid state is stabilized, which results in a decreasing liquidus temperature. The mechanical and magnetic properties of the metalloid-free Fe-based metallic glass with the highest Fe and Co fractions were analyzed. The alloy of composition (Fe0.582Co0.418)80Cr10Zr10 exhibits bending elasticity and plasticity. Magnetization measurements reveal a saturation magnetization of up to 1.1T and an inverted hysteresis. The origin of this inverted hysteresis presumably lies in the inclination to decompose in a ferromagnetic iron-rich α1 phase and an antiferromagnetic chromium-rich α2 phase.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.