Magnetite electrical properties

A recent review of the experimental situation has been given by Honig(1985). It is pointed out that the electrical properties, particularly near to the transition, are very sensitive to purity and specimen preparation, and that much of the extensive experimental work is therefore open to doubt. None the less, the broad features of the behaviour of this material are clear. The history of the so-called Verwey transition in this material goes back to 1926, when Parks and Kelly (1926) detected an anomalous peak near 120 K in the heat capacity of a natural crystal of magnetite. The first detailed investigations were those of Verwey and co-workers (Verwey 1939, Verwey and Haayman 1941, Verwey et al. 1947), who showed that there was a near discontinuity in the conductivity at about 160K. The conductivity as measured by Miles et al. (1957) is shown in Fig. 8.1. 

Jiang, L. and Gao, L., Carbon nanotubes-magnetite nanocomposites from solvothermal processes formation, characterization, and enhanced electrical properties , Chemistry of Materials, 2003, 15, 2848-2853. 

More closely related to the aim of this chapter is the interest in the study of magnetite thin films. Apart from the possible applications of magnetite thin films in catalysis, magnetic recording media, or spintronic devices, many questions on their structural, magnetic, chemical, and electrical properties are still under discussion. 

The sensitive dependence of the electrical and magnetic properties of spinel-type compounds on composition, temperature, and detailed cation arrangement has proved a powerful incentive for the extensive study of these compounds in connection with the solid-state electronics industry. Perhaps the best-known examples are the ferrites, including the extraordinary compound magnetite Fc304 (p. 1080) which has an inverse spinel structure (Fe )t[Fe Fe ]o04. 

---