Equilibrium magnetization and microstructure of the system of superparamagnetic interacting particles: numerical simulation

The Monte Carlo method is used to study the equilibrium magnetization of a 3D system of superparamagnetic particles taking into account the steric and dipole-dipole interparticle interactions. Two types of systems are considered: magnetic fluids and solidified ferrocolloids containing randomly spatially distributed particles with negligible energy of magnetic anisotropy. The results of numerical simulations confirm the universality of Langevin susceptibility as a main dimensionless parameter determining the influence of interparticle interactions on the magnetization of the system for moderate values of the aggregation parameter. The obtained results are in good agreement with theoretical and experimental data. At large values of the aggregation parameter, the clustering of particles in magnetic fluids is observed resulting in a reduction of their magnetization as compared to solidified systems. It is shown that the magnetization of solidified systems can be well described by the modified effective held approximation within the whole investigated range of parameters. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.