American Association for the Advancement of Science, Science, 5457(287), p. 1460-1463, 2000
DOI: 10.1126/science.287.5457.1460
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A shaped, magnetic ceramic was obtained from a metal-containing polymer network, which was synthesized by thermal polymerization of a metal-containing organosilicon monomer. Pyrolysis of a cylinder, shape, or film of the metal-containing polymer precursor produced a low-density magnetic ceramic replica in high yield. The magnetic properties of the shaped ceramic could be tuned between a superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic state by controlling the pyrolysis conditions, with the particular state dependent on the size of iron nanoclusters homogeneously dispersed throughout the carbosilane-graphitic–silicon nitride matrix. These results indicate that cross-linked metal-containing polymers may be useful precursors to ceramic monoliths with tailorable magnetic properties.