Iron carbide and nitride via a flexible route: synthesis, structure and magnetic properties

Single-phase Fe4N and Fe3C have been controllably synthesized from a coordination precursor by adjusting the molar ratio of hexamethylenetetramine to ferric chloride hexahydrate, both presenting good paramagnetic behavior, with maximum magnetizations that can reach 150.51 and 53.03 emu g(-1) up to 17.5 kOe, respectively. The magnetic properties of Fe3C can be adjusted by the molar ratio of hexamethylenetetramine. Moreover, the structure, components and the possible mechanism were investigated carefully.