FMR and EPR in Ni@C nanocomposites: Size and concentration effects

One-domain Ni@C nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon coating have been investigated depending on the size and concentration of Ni in carbon. The nanoparticles of nickel were prepared with the average diameters changing in a broad range of 4–45 nm, and the concentration of Ni in C varies in 2–12 wt%. To prepare the Ni@C nanocomposites the solid solutions of nickel phthalocyanine–metal-free phthalocyanine (NiPc) x (H2Pc)1–x , 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 were synthesized and the solidphase pyrolysis of these compounds was performed. In the case of ultradispersive Ni nanoparticles (the interval of quantum dots is 1–10 nm), a considerable shift of the resonance field and broadening of resonance absorption field were revealed in the spectra of FMR at room temperature. The data were interpreted taking into account the essential contribution of the surface magnetic anisotropy, the magnetic field of which far exceeds the magnetic field of volume anisotropy.