High thermal stability of carbon-coated L10-FePt nanoparticles prepared by salt-matrix annealing

Monodisperse L1(0)-FePt nanoparticles with size ranging from 3 to 8 nm were prepared by the salt-matrix annealing method. It was observed that the annealed particles have high thermal stability-no sintering occurred even when the particles were heated at 1100 degrees C for an hour. This high thermal stability resulted from carbon coating of the particles during salt-matrix annealing as consequence of decomposition of surfactants. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.