Iron-rich talc as air-stable platform for magnetic two-dimensional materials

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Authors

External Organisational units

  • Materials Center Leoben Forschungs GmbH
  • Institute of Materials Science and Technology
  • Zentrum f Elektronenmikroskopie Graz
  • Technische Universität Graz
  • Erich Schmid Institute of Materials Science
  • Materials Engineering Group

Abstract

Intrinsically magnetic layered materials – especially monolayers – suffer from the lack of ambient stability and mostly exhibit magnetic ordering only at cryogenic temperatures. These restrains impose a great challenge for the integration of two-dimensional magnetic materials into future technologies. We propose to overcome this by exploiting phyllosilicates, such as iron-rich talc. Via combined magnetic force microscopy in applied external magnetic fields, superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry, first-principle calculations, and structural analysis, we demonstrate that incorporated iron ions in talc are in a very robust high spin state, resulting in a weak ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. Iron-rich talc can be thinned down to a monolayer, remaining fully stable under ambient conditions, and retaining magnetic properties even in monolayers. Finally, we propose iron-rich end members of the phyllosilicates as very promising platforms for air-stable magnetic monolayers.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number94
Number of pages9
Journalnpj 2D materials and applications
Volume2021
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 21 Dec 2021