Diffraction studies of the crystalline and magnetic structures of γ-Fe2O3 iron oxide nanostructured in porous glass

The crystalline and magnetic structures of γ-Fe₂O₃ maghemite synthesized in porous glass in the form of nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 106(2) Å have been determined by the neutrons and synchrotron radiation diffraction methods. Nanostructured maghemite with the spinel structure has vacancies in the octahedral and tetrahedral positions. The magnetic structure corresponds to the usual ferrimagnetic type. The measured magnetic moments are much lower than the moments in a usual sample. Moreover, the moments are strongly different in the octahedral and tetrahedral positions; this difference is explained by the difference in the exchange interaction for moments in different positins.