Iron nanoparticles in copper matrix prepared by sol-gel route

Iron particles having diameters around 8 nm and loosely packed with nanosized copper particles have been prepared by a sol-gel route. The samples exhibit coercivities in the range 200 to 500 Oe that are typical of single-domain iron grains. The Mössbauer spectrum is consistent with the presence of α-Fe particles in the system. However, a finite value of the isomer shift is obtained that is ascribed to possible electron transfer between the iron atoms and the surrounding copper matrix.