Monitoring the formation of carbide crystal phases during the thermal decomposition of 3d transition metal dicarboxylate complexes.

Single molecule precursors can help to simplify the synthesis of complex alloys by minimizing the amount of necessary starting reagents. However, single molecule precursors are time consuming to prepare with very few being commercially available. In this study, a simple precipitation method is used to prepare Fe, Co, and Ni fumarate and succinate complexes. These complexes were then thermally decomposed in an inert atmosphere to test their efficiency as single molecule precursors for the formation of metal carbide phases. Elevated temperature X-ray diffraction was used to identify the crystal phases produced upon decomposition of the metal dicarboxylate complexes. Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with an infrared detector was used to identify the developed gaseous decomposition products. All complexes tested showed a reduction from the starting M(2+) oxidation state to the M(0) oxidation state, upon decomposition. Also, each complex tested showed CO2 and H2O as gaseous decomposition products. Nickel succinate, iron succinate, and iron fumarate complexes were found to form carbide phases upon decomposition. This proves that transition metal dicarboxylate salts can be employed as efficient single molecule precursors for the formation of metal carbide crystal phases.

Plasmonics and enhanced magneto-optics in core-shell co-ag nanoparticles.

We present theoretical and experimental studies that explain the observed strong enhancement of the magneto-optical (MO) Faraday rotation in all-metal core-shell Co-Ag nanoparticles (NPs) attributed to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). We also explain why the optical absorption and MO spectra peaks appear blue-shifted with increased Co core size while keeping the NP size constant. Further, we demonstrate direct correlation between the strong LSPR induced electromagnetic fields and the enhanced MO activity of the NPs.