Harmonic components of magnetic signals from ferrofluids excited by alternating magnetic fields are studied in view of applications to liquid sensing. The harmonic signals from ferrofluids of iron-oxide magnetic nanoparticles excited at the field strength of 100 mTp-p and the frequency range from 1510−6500 Hz are detected by a pickup coil and are processed with a lock-in amplifier. The harmonic signal exhibits a minimum in the frequency dependence at a frequency, which is correlated to the magnetic relaxation. The minimum frequency is decreased and the minimum value is increased with the increase of the ion concentration; the frequency dependence around the minimum frequency exhibits characteristic features depending on the ion concentration. The features are originated from polydispersity in the aggregation formed in the ferrofluids at higher ion concentration, and are different from the frequency characteristics depending on the viscosity. This magnetic relaxometry using the harmonic signals is useful for ion sensing in liquids without the influence of viscosity.
We describe the relationship between the excitation frequency dependence of harmonic signal intensity under alternating magnetic fields and the hydrodynamic size of magnetic particles in ferrofluids. The hydrodynamic size estimated from magnetic susceptibility increases with the increase in ion and particle concentrations in the ferrofluids. The excitation frequency dependence of the fifth-harmonic signal intensity exhibits a minimum point at a certain frequency. The frequency of the minimum point shifts to the lower-frequency range, and after reaching the minimum, it increases with the increase in ion and particle concentrations, reflecting the increase in hydrodynamic size owing to the aggregation of magnetic particles.These behaviors may be useful for applications in ion sensing by a magnetic technique.
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