| ZnO nanoparticles doped with transition metal ions are intensively studied nanomaterials, due to their charges and the spins of electrons that provides new magnetic, optical and transport properties. They find a vast range of applications, ranging from optoelectronics to spintronics. In this context especially important is the room temperature ferromagnetism observed for ZnO doped nanomaterials, although this phenomenon is still a controversial and open topic in material science, mostly due to low reproducibility of results from samples prepared by different techniques. In the first part of this article a short review of papers using magnetometric methods to determine the magnetic characteristics of Co-doped ZnO nanomaterials is presented. Different models introduced to explain room temperature ferromagnetism (carrier mediated ferromagnetism, Co2+-oxygen vacancy pairs, blocked superparamagnetic clusters, Co2+-Zn interstitial pairs, heterogeneous distribution of magnetic ions) are examined and discussed. In the second part, magnetisation study of a new series of nCoO/(1-n)ZnO nanocomposites synthesized by hydrothermal method under higher than previously applied pressure will be described. The obtained experimental results will be analysed and information on magnetic systems responsible for the observed characteristics and the involved magnetic interactions will be deduced. |
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