Selective Product of Magnetite through Addition of Small Amount of Metal Element

In this study, we investigate the transformation mechanism from a phase mixture of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) to a single-phase magnetite through the addition of a specific metal element. The thin films were prepared by rf sputtering with a composite target of metal chips set on a ceramic magnetite (or hematite) target in Ar atmosphere. It is revealed that the addition of Ge to the polycrystalline hematite film obviously produces single-phase magnetite, indicating that the hematite is fully transformed to magnetite through an addition of Ge. Such transformation is also seen with slight additions of Mo, W, Cr, and Mg, whereas the addition of Sn does not affect the phase mixture of magnetite and hematite. According to the free energy of the reaction, elements of Ge, Mo, W, Cr, and Mg are capable of reducing hematite, whereas hematite remains unreactive with addition of Sn. This is in good agreement with the experiment results. This unique technique additionally provides the maximum magnetization of 3.9 kG at 8 ×10⁵ A·m^-1(10 kOe) at a Mo concentration of 1.3 at. %.