Building nanocomposite magnets by coating a hard magnetic core with a soft magnetic shell.

Controlling exchange coupling between hard magnetic and soft magnetic phases is the key to the fabrication of advanced magnets with tunable magnetism and high energy density. Using FePt as an example, control over the magnetism in exchange-coupled nanocomposites of hard magnetic face-centered tetragonal (fct) FePt and soft magnetic Co (or Ni, Fe2C) is shown. The dispersible hard magnetic fct-FePt nanoparticles are first prepared with their coercivity (Hc) reaching 33 kOe. Then core/shell fct-FePt/Co (or Ni, Fe2C) nanoparticles are synthesized by reductive thermal decomposition of the proper metal precursors in the presence of fct-FePt nanoparticles. These core/shell nanoparticles are strongly coupled by exchange interactions and their magnetic properties can be rationally tuned by the shell thickness of the soft phase. This work provides an ideal model system for the study of exchange coupling at the nanoscale, which will be essential for building superstrong magnets for various permanent magnet applications in the future.