Crossover from superspin glass to superferromagnet in FexAg100-x nanostructured thin films ( 20 ≤ x ≤ 50 )

FexAg100?x granular thin films, with 20 x 50, have been prepared by the dc-magnetron sputtering deposition technique. With this technique we have been able to obtain samples comprising small Fe nanoparticles 2.5?3 nm embedded in a Ag matrix, remaining their size practically constant with increasing Fe content. Their magnetic behavior has been fully characterized by dc magnetic measurements between 5?350 K. They have revealed a crossover in the collective magnetic behavior of the Fe nanoparticles around a 35 at. %. Below such a concentration, a collective freezing of the magnetic moments is observed at low temperatures, while at high temperatures a transition, mainly mediated by dipolar interactions, to a magnetically disordered state is obtained. Above this concentration, direct exchange interactions overcome the dipolar magnetic interactions and a long-range order tends to prevail in the range of temperatures analyzed. ac magnetic measurements have indicated a crossover from a superspin glass x35 to a superferromagnetic x35 behavior for the magnetic moments of the Fe nanoparticles.This work was supported by the CICYT of Spain under Contracts No. MAT2008-06542-C04-02 and No. MAT2008- 06542-C04-04. SGIker technical support MEC, GV/EJ, European Social Fund is gratefully acknowledged. The financial support from the Basque Government Department of Education Project No. IT-347-07 is acknowledged

Oriented Three-Dimensional Magnetic Biskyrmion in MnNiGa Bulk Crystals

A biskyrmion consists of two bound, topologically stable skyrmion spin textures. These coffee-bean-shaped objects have been observed in real-space in thin plates using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM). From LTEM imaging alone, it is not clear whether biskyrmions are surface-confined objects, or, analogously to skyrmions in non-centrosymmetric helimagnets, three-dimensional tube-like structures in bulk sample. Here, we investigate the biskyrmion form factor in single- and polycrystalline MnNiGa samples using small angle neutron scattering (SANS). We find that biskyrmions are not long-range ordered, not even in single-crystals. Surprisingly all of the disordered biskyrmions have their in-plane symmetry axis aligned along certain directions, governed by the magnetocrystalline anisotropy. This anisotropic nature of biskyrmions may be further exploited to encode information

Magnetic nanoprecipitates and interfacial spin disorder in zero-field-annealed Ni50Mn45In5 Heusler alloys as seen by magnetic small-angle neutron scattering

Shell ferromagnetism is a new functional property of certain off-stoichiometric Ni–Mn–In Heusler alloys, with a potential application in non-volatile magnetic memories and recording media. One key challenge in this field remains the determination of the structural and magnetic properties of the nanoprecipitates that are the result of an annealing-induced segregation process. Thanks to its unique mesoscopic length scale sensitivity, magnetic small-angle neutron scattering appears to be a powerful technique to disclose the microstructure of such annealing-induced nanoprecipitates. In this study, the microstructure of a zero-field-annealed off-stoichiometric Ni(50)Mn(45)In(5) Heusler alloy is investigated by unpolarized magnetic small-angle neutron scattering. The neutron data analysis reveals a significant spin-misalignment scattering, which is mainly related to the formation of annealing-induced ferromagnetic nanoprecipitates in an antiferromagnetic matrix. These particles represent a source of perturbation which, due to dipolar stray fields, gives rise to canted spin moments in the surroundings of the particle–matrix interface. The presence of anticorrelations in the computed magnetic correlation function reflects the spatial perturbation of the magnetization vector around the nanoprecipitates. The magnetic field dependence of the zero crossing and the minima of the magnetic correlation function are qualitatively explained using the law of approach to ferromagnetic saturation for inhomogeneous spin states. More specifically, at remanence, the nanoprecipitates act magnetically as one superdefect with a correlation length that lies outside the experimental q range, whereas near saturation the magnetization distribution follows each individual nanoprecipitate. Analysis of the neutron data yields an estimated size of 30 nm for the spin-canted region and a value of about 75 nm for the magnetic core of the individual nanoprecipitates

In situ monitoring of latex film formation by small-angle neutron scattering: Evolving distributions of hydrophilic stabilizers in drying colloidal films

The distribution of hydrophilic species, such as surfactants, in latex films is of critical importance for the performance of adhesives, coatings and inks, among others. However, the evolution of this distribution during the film formation process and in the resulting dried films remains insufficiently elucidated. Here, we present in situ (wet) and ex situ (dry) SANS experiments that follow the film formation of two types of latex particles, which differ in their stabilizer: either a covalently bonded poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) segment or a physically adsorbed surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS). By fitting the experimental SANS data and combining with gravimetry experiments, we have ascertained the hydrophilic species distribution within the drying film and followed its evolution by correlating the size and shape of stabilizer clusters with the drying time. The evolution of the SDS distribution over drying time is being driven by a reduction in the interfacial free energy. However, the PMAA-based stabilizer macromolecules are restricted by their covalent bonding to core polymer chains and hence form high surface-area disc-like phases at the common boundary between particles and PMAA micelles. Contrary to an idealized view of film formation, the PMAA does not remain in the walls of a continuous honeycomb structure. The results presented here shed new light on the nanoscale distribution of hydrophilic species in drying and ageing latex films. We provide valuable insights into the influence of the stabilizer mobility on the final structure of latex films

Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol

High blood cholesterol is typically considered a feature of wealthy western countries(1,2). However, dietary and behavioural determinants of blood cholesterol are changing rapidly throughout the world(3) and countries are using lipid-lowering medications at varying rates. These changes can have distinct effects on the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, which have different effects on human health(4,5). However, the trends of HDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels over time have not been previously reported in a global analysis. Here we pooled 1,127 population-based studies that measured blood lipids in 102.6 million individuals aged 18 years and older to estimate trends from 1980 to 2018 in mean total, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol levels for 200 countries. Globally, there was little change in total or non-HDL cholesterol from 1980 to 2018. This was a net effect of increases in low- and middle-income countries, especially in east and southeast Asia, and decreases in high-income western countries, especially those in northwestern Europe, and in central and eastern Europe. As a result, countries with the highest level of non-HDL cholesterol-which is a marker of cardiovascular riskchanged from those in western Europe such as Belgium, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Malta in 1980 to those in Asia and the Pacific, such as Tokelau, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand. In 2017, high non-HDL cholesterol was responsible for an estimated 3.9 million (95% credible interval 3.7 million-4.2 million) worldwide deaths, half of which occurred in east, southeast and south Asia. The global repositioning of lipid-related risk, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from a distinct feature of high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to one that affects countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania should motivate the use of population-based policies and personal interventions to improve nutrition and enhance access to treatment throughout the world.Peer reviewe

Comportamiento de super vidrio de espín en películas delgadas nanogranulares diluidas de Fe-Au, Ag y Cu

RESUMEN: Es esta tesis se ha estudiado el comportamiento de las interacciones magnéticas en sistemas nanoparticulados de Fe disueltos en matriz diamagnética y metálica (concretamente Au, Ag y Cu) en forma de película delgada (espesor menor de 300 nm) con una baja concentración de Fe. La aleaciones fueron depositadas mediante la técnica "DC-magnetron sputtering", produciendo muestras de alta calidad: altamente repetitivas y homogéneas. Para caracterizar dichas películas se han utilizados diversas técnicas, tanto estructurales (difracción de rayos X, microscopía electrónica de transmisión, espectroscopía de dispersión de rayos X, medidas de transporte eléctrico variando tanto la temperatura como el campo magnético aplicado) como magnéticas mediante un magnetómetro SQUID (ciclos de histéresis a distintas temperaturas, procesos de enfiamento sin y con campo (ZFC/FC) y susceptibilidad con campo magnético alterno) y con dicroísmo circular magnético de rayos X en los bordes de absorción L2,3 del Au. En nuestro estudio en concreto, los resultados obtenidos han sido sorprendentes por dos motivos. El primero es la gran cantidad de interacciones existentes pese a la dilución (del orden del 10% at. en Fe), observando ciclos de histéresis a temperatura ambiente. Este comportamiento no había sido observado previamente en la literatura, remarcando la importancia de la nanoestructura, destruyendo la fase superparamagnética. El segundo resultado fuera de lo común es la obtención de fases tipo vidrio de espín en sistemas que clásicamente no lo admitian debido a su fuerte comportamiento kondo, como son las aleaciones de FeCu y FeAg. La existencia de nanopartículas magnéticas permite rodear este problema

The characterisation of Pluronic P123 micelles in the presence of sunscreen agents

open access articleOBJECTIVES The triblock copolymer Pluronic® is widely used in the personal care industry, including sun protection, for its film forming and solubilisation capabilities. In this study, the effect of three commonly used organic UV filters (ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EMC), ethylhexyl triazone (EHT) and avobenzone (AVB)) on the structure of Pluronic P123 micelles was investigated. METHODS The Pluronic P123 micelle structure has been investigated using dynamic surface tension, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). RESULTS Dynamic surface tension results show strong interactions between the UV filters and Pluronic® evident by sharp changes in the surface activity of the latter. The NMR results have revealed the creation of a hydrophobic microenvironment special to the Pluronic PPO core group in the presence of UV filters. Some interaction with the hydrophilic EO was also recorded, albeit weaker. This is further confirmed by SANS, where the Pluronic P123 micelles interacted with varying strengths with the UV filters, resulting in sharp changes in their size and shape. CONCLUSIONS We have demonstrated the sensitivity of the Pluronic P123 micelles to the presence of various UVA/B filters. The micelles shape varied from spherical to cylindrical as the concentration and type of the UV filters were varied. These variations in the shape are expected to have a significant effect on the sun protection factor (SPF), as it affects the solubilisation of the UV filters within a formulation in addition to the formulations’ rheological profile and film forming behaviour

Using the singular value decomposition to extract 2D correlation functions from scattering patterns

We apply the truncated singular value decomposition (SVD) to extract the underlying 2D correlation functions from small-angle scattering patterns. We test the approach by transforming the simulated data of ellipsoidal particles and show that also in case of anisotropic patterns (i.e. aligned ellipsoids) the derived correlation functions correspond to the theoretically predicted profiles. Furthermore, we use the truncated SVD to analyze the small-angle x-ray scattering patterns of colloidal dispersions of hematite spindles and magnetotactic bacteria in presence of magnetic fields, to verify that this approach can be applied to extract model-free the scattering profiles of anisotropic scatterers from noisy data.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure