Anatase and rutile TiO2-δ powders were synthesized via the sol-gel method. The
hysteresis loops and the zero field-cooled and the field-cooled magnetization
curves indicate that reduced TiO2-δ powders exhibit the room-temperature
ferromagnetism that becomes stronger with prolonging annealing time in H2/Ar
mixture. Analysis of Ti 2p X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra indicates that
Ti ions were all in the Ti4+ state and that Ti3+ or Ti2+ ions do not exist in all
samples. In addition, analysis of O 1s X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy spectra
indicates that the concentration of oxygen vacancies increases with prolonging
annealing time. Analysis of ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra also further
confirmed that the concentration of oxygen vacancies increases with prolonging
annealing time. These results indicate that ferromagnetism in pure TiO2-δ powders
stems from oxygen vacancies.
Activation of Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism in Non-Stoichiometric TiO2-δ
Powders by Oxygen Vacancies. Q.Zhao, P.Wu, B.L.Li, Z.M.Lu, E.Y.Jiang: Journal
of Applied Physics, 2008, 104[7], 073911