Local Chemical Strain in PtFe Alloy Nanoparticles

Precise deciphering of the atomic-insight chemical strain and distribution in nanosolids, especially in nanoalloys with disordered structure, is significant to correlate the structure and chemical properties. In this report, we found an abnormally enhanced negative thermal expansion (NTE) along the c axis in a 3.5 nm PtFe magnetic L1₀ alloy, which was usually weakened by the reduced contribution of invar behavior in a nanosized magnetic material. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra and extended X-ray absorption fine structure studies indicated the local disordered state of chemical coordination of the L1₀ phase. Pair distribution function and reverse Monte Carlo simulation revealed a surface A1-phase coating and atomic-level stretching chemical strain on the heteroatomic pair along the c axis. Local tensile chemical strain and increasing magnetic moments of Fe atoms on the surface of the L1₀ core made a dominant contribution to the enhanced NTE behavior. The present work brings an atomic reveal for the local chemical strain in bimetallic nanomaterials and provides an innovative perspective to tailoring the functional properties according to the local chemical environment.