Thermogravimetric analysis of atomized ferromagnetic composites with multiwalled carbon nanotubes: an unusual...

A spin polarization of atomized ferromagnetic atoms like cobalt or nickel in nano space results in the modification of the electron configuration in the ferromagnetic atom that changes its oxidative property. We have prepared cobalt and nickel composites with multiwalled carbon nanotubes using atomized cobalt and nickel particles, for investigating their thermal oxidative behavior by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The composites showed the absence of a thermal oxidation in the temperature range of ambient to the break down temperature of multiwalled carbon nanotubes at 800 degrees C. At this temperature while Co composite forms cobalt oxide, the Ni composite becomes volatile that results in the divergent behavior of the two ferromagnetic compounds with a weight gain observed in TGA for Co and a loss for Ni. The mechanisms operating in the two cases are discussed in this work.