NIST researchers have been working on developing metrology for magnetic materials, focusing on magnetic anisotropy and interactions in magnetic nanoparticle dispersions. They observed unique magnetic behaviors in these colloids that are distinct from bulk magnetic properties, such as cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy. These findings could help improve models and characterization methods for magnetic colloids used in various applications like medical imaging and hyperthermia treatments.
The researchers also studied the reproducibility of magnetic moment measurements using NIST’s second-order gradiometer SQUID magnetometer on yttrium iron garnet (YIG) spheres. They found that increasing the grain size to thickness ratio in Ni45Mn40Co5Sn10 ribbon samples through annealing heat treatments can decrease the magnetic field requirement for magnetic refrigeration by up to 3 T.
Additionally, NIST offers several standard reference materials (SRMs) related to magnetic properties to support the development and validation of measurement standards and techniques for magnetic properties.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/magnetic-materials-metrology
Keywords: magnetization, magnetocrystalline, magnetic properties, magnetic colloids, magnetocaloric
