Mössbauer Study of Oxygenated Iron-Phthalocyanines, a Precursor of Magnetic Storage Material

57Fe transmission Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry were used to study α- and β-polymorphs of iron phthalocyanines (FePc) to get information about their oxygenation in connection with controlled pyrolysis of flat layered phthalocyanines initiated by radicals at relatively low temperatures, to form acicular carbide particles encaged in carbon. Mossbauer spectroscopy and XRD revealed that the oxygenation of both α- and β-polymorphs of FePc was successfully achieved. New Mossbauer spectral components (doublets) appeared upon the oxygenation in both α and β FePc. This can be attributed to iron microenvironments containing oxygen between the layers of iron phthalocyanines.