Relation between structural patterns and magnetism in small iron oxide clusters: reentrance of the magnetic moment at high oxidation ratios

Abstract

Due to quantum confinement effects, the understanding of iron oxide nanoparticles is a challenge that opens the possibility of designing nanomaterials with new capacities. In this work, we report a theoretical density functional theory study of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of neutral and charged iron oxide clusters Fe_nO_m^0/± (n = 1–6), with m values until oxygen saturation is achieved. We determine the putative ground state configuration and low-energy structural and spin isomers. Based on the total energy differences between the obtained global minimum structure of the parent clusters and their possible fragments, we explore the fragmentation channels for cationic oxides, comparing with experiments. Our results provide fundamental insight on how the structural pattern develops upon oxidation and its connection with the magnetic couplings and net total moment. Upon addition of oxygen, electronic charge transfer from iron to oxygen is found which weakens the iron–iron bond and consequently the direct exchange coupling in Fe. The binding energy increases as the oxygen ratio increases, rising faster at low oxidation rates. When molecular oxygen adsorption starts to take place, the binding energy increases more slowly. The oxygen environment is a crucial factor related to the stabilities and to the magnetic character of iron oxides. We identified certain iron oxide clusters of special relevance in the context of magnetism due to their high stability, expected abundance and parallel magnetic couplings that cause large total magnetic moments even at high oxidation ratios.