Fundamental Mӧssbauer Spectroscopy Studies on Lutetium Oxide Ball Milled with Hematite Nanoparticles

Abstract

This study reports for the first time in literature a Mӧssbauer spectroscopy study on lutetium oxide ball milled with hematite nanoparticles for molar concentrations of x=0.1, 0.3 and 0.5.  The samples were prepared by mechanochemical activation using high energy ball milling for milling times between 0-12 hours.  The Mӧssbauer spectra were least squares fitted using Lorentzian line shapes with 2 sextets and a quadrupole split doublet.  The sextets corresponded to hematite and lutetium-doped hematite and the doublet was assigned to lutetium iron perovskite (lutetium orthoferrite).  Mӧssbauer spectroscopy proved to be a powerful experimental tool to characterize the structural and magnetic properties of mixed-oxide nanoparticles systems.