Magnetic properties of magnetite prepared by ball-milling of hematite with iron

Magnetic properties of magnetite powder prepared by ball-milling of stoichiometric mixture of hematite and iron in an inert atmosphere are reported. Hysteresis loops, isothermal remanence acquisition curves and temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility measurements are used to characterise this material and to examine the effects of heating in air and in an argon atmosphere. Ball-milling of hematite with iron during periods ranging from 30 min up to almost 5 h yields magnetite which exhibits high magnetic hardness, characterised by coercive force three times higher than that typical for single-domain natural magnetites. However, the magnetite produced is unstable upon heating in air, reoxidising almost completely to hematite. Heating in an argon atmosphere causes enhancement of typical magnetic parameters, but decreases the magnetic hardness. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.