Nano-sized particles of Prussian blue analogue KxCo y[Fe(CN)6] and KxNiy[Fe(CN) 6]: Synthesis and their properties

Abstract

Recently, striking effects of light irradiation on the magnetic state were reported for Prussian blue analogues AxCoy[Fe(CN) 6] (A = Na, K, Rb, Cs). The physical and optical properties are dependent on the size of the particles of the measured samples. However, there have been few report on the formation of nano-sized particles of the material and the effect of size of the particles on the properties of the compounds. In this report, we investigate the effect of size of the particles on the properties of the Prussian blue analogue KxCoy[Fe(CN) 6] and KxNiy[Fe(CN)6]. We present a novel synthesis method of the KxCoy[Fe(CN)6] and KxNiy[Fe(CN)6] nano-particles. The results of the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis absorption and magnetization measurements of the compounds are presented.