Structure and magnetic properties of Fe1−xCox nanowires in self-assembled arrays

Fe1−xCox nanowires in self-assembled arrays with varying compositions were produced by the template-assisted pulsed electrochemical deposition method. The structural and magnetic properties of the arrays were investigated using several experimental techniques. TEM analyses indicated that the nanowires were regular, uniform, 8 μm in length and 50 nm in diameter. The results of X-ray diffraction indicated that the body-centered-cubic (bcc) (α), face-centered-cubic (fcc) (γ), and hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) (ɛ) Fe–Co phases appeared in different compositions. Magnetic measurements showed that the coercivity and squareness of the hysteresis loops of the Fe1−xCox changed with their compositions, which may be attributable to shape anisotropy. The room temperature 57Fe Mössbauer spectra of the arrays of the Fe1−xCox nanowires revealed strong shape anisotropy.