Fe-doped In2O3/α-Fe2O3 core/shell nanofibers fabricated by using a co-electrospinning method and its magnetic properties

• Fe-doped In2O3/α-Fe2O3 core/shell nanofibers were fabricated by using a co-electrospinning method.
• Fe-doped In2O3/α-Fe2O3 core/shell nanofibers showed enhanced magnetic property.
• Mechanisms for the enhancement of magnetic properties were suggested.

We report on the fabrication and magnetic properties of Fe-doped In2O3/α-Fe2O3 core/shell nanofibers (NFs) by co-electrospinning method. The structural investigations showed that the core and shell materials were composed of crystalline Fe-doped In2O3 NFs and α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with a size of less than 1 μm, respectively, and the morphologies of the resultant NFs changed with variation of the relative source ratio of In to Fe (the In/Fe molar ratio). Interestingly, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the Fe elements were incorporated into the In2O3 lattice, causing a modification of the magnetic properties of the In2O3/α-Fe2O3 core/shell NFs. Investigations of the magnetic properties of the core/shell NFs showed enhanced magnetic properties, and an increase in saturation magnetization values with an increased In/Fe molar ratio. Based on our results, we suggest three mechanisms for the enhancement of magnetic properties that result from our proposed structures.