Successful Synthesis of Magnetic γ-Fe2O3 Nanotubes in High Magnetic Field

Recently,a novel method for synthesizing ferromagnetic γ-Fe₂O₃nanotubes by a template process with the aid of high magnetic fieldwas reported bythe key laboratory of superconductivity inIEE.This work whichwas supported by the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the “Bairen” program of CASwas published inChemistry of Materials(Chem. Mater., 2008,20,20),which suggests that new progress in magnetic field processing is made.

It is found thatthe well crystalline γ-Fe₂O₃nanotubes, ranging from ~300 nm in diameter and up to ~30 µm in length,exhibit room-temperature typical ferromagnetic behavior.Such a novel approach to preparing magnetic nanotubes with the advantages of a simple, yet very efficient, and contact-free method may be very usefulfor technological applications.After applying the patent, the detailed results about this work was published inChemistry of Materials.

　　 Materials synthesis or processing in high magnetic field is a new and useful method for creating new types of materials. Espcially, with recent development of cryogen-free superconducting magnets, people are paying more and more attention to the “control of materils” for material science by means of a magnetic field. Thus,American National High Magnetic Field Laboratory called this “Science, Engineering & Technology of the 21th Century”.