Surface magnetism in amine-capped ZnO nanoparticles

Magnetic behaviors of pure ZnO nanoparticles have been investigated both experimentally and theoretically. It is found that monodisperse ZnO nanoparticles wrapped with oleylamine with an average particle size of about 9.6 nm prepared by thermal decomposition do show ferromagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization of about 34 memu g−1 and coercive force of about 22 Oe, whereas ZnO nanoparticles with an average particle size of 5.2 nm prepared by ultrasonic irradiation without solvents show a weak ferromagnetic property with a saturation magnetization of about 0.12 memu g−1 and coercive force of about 150 Oe at ambient temperature. First-principles calculations reveal that the 2p holes on the atoms at the surface (dangling bond of O atoms at ZnO() or 2p electrons of N atom in NH3 adsorbed on Zn(0001)) could be the source for the magnetic behavior of oxide nanoparticles.