DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Complexions at the iron-magnetite interface

Journal Article · · Nature Communications

Synthesizing distinct phases and controlling crystalline defects are key concepts in materials design. These approaches are often decoupled, with the former grounded in equilibrium thermodynamics and the latter in nonequilibrium kinetics. By unifying them through defect phase diagrams, we can apply phase equilibrium models to thermodynamically evaluate defects—including dislocations, grain boundaries, and phase boundaries—establishing a theoretical framework linking material imperfections to properties. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging, we achieve the simultaneous imaging of heavy Fe and light O atoms, precisely mapping the atomic structure and chemical composition at the iron-magnetite (Fe/Fe3O4) interface. We identify a well-ordered two-layer interface-stabilized phase state (referred to as complexion) at the Fe[001]/Fe3O4[001] interface. Using density-functional theory (DFT), we explain the observed complexion and map out various interface-stabilized phases as a function of the O chemical potential. The formation of complexions increases interface adhesion by 20% and alters charge transfer between adjacent materials, impacting transport properties. Our findings highlight the potential of tunable defect-stabilized phase states as a degree of freedom in materials design, enabling optimized corrosion protection, catalysis, and redox-driven phase transitions, with applications in materials sustainability, efficient energy conversion, and green steel production.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
2532471
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 16; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (81)

The Iron Oxides Strike Back: From Biomedical Applications to Energy Storage Devices and Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting journal July 2011
Iron-Oxide-Based Advanced Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries journal November 2013
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy book January 2011
Bemerkung �ber die angen�herte G�ltigkeit der klassischen Mechanik innerhalb der Quantenmechanik journal July 1927
Quantification of ferrous/ferric ratios in minerals: new evaluation schemes of Fe L 23 electron energy-loss near-edge spectra journal April 2002
Magnetic recording materials since 1975 journal November 1991
Efficiency of ab-initio total energy calculations for metals and semiconductors using a plane-wave basis set journal July 1996
Surface chemistry and catalysis on well-defined epitaxial iron-oxide layers journal March 2002
Complexion: A new concept for kinetic engineering in materials science journal October 2007
Grain boundary complexions journal January 2014
Experimental and DFT characterization of η′ nano-phase and its interfaces in Al Zn Mg Cu alloys journal February 2019
Influence of microstructure and atomic-scale chemistry on the direct reduction of iron ore with hydrogen at 700°C journal June 2021
Phase transformations and microstructure evolution during combustion of iron powder journal October 2022
Regulation of antiphase boundary density in Fe3O4 thin films and its effect on the electrical and magnetic properties journal June 2024
The complex nonstoichiometry of wüstite Fe1-O: Review and comments journal March 2019
Hierarchical nature of hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxides journal May 2022
Iron oxide surfaces journal March 2016
Grain-boundary layering transitions in a model bicrystal journal December 2013
Modelling the inelastic scattering of fast electrons journal April 2015
Measurement of atomic electric fields and charge densities from average momentum transfers using scanning transmission electron microscopy journal July 2017
Visualization of Light Elements at Ultrahigh Resolution by STEM Annular Bright Field Microscopy journal July 2009
Four-Dimensional Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (4D-STEM): From Scanning Nanodiffraction to Ptychography and Beyond journal May 2019
py4DSTEM: A Software Package for Four-Dimensional Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Data Analysis journal May 2021
Automated Crystal Orientation Mapping by Precession Electron Diffraction-Assisted Four-Dimensional Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Using a Scintillator-Based CMOS Detector journal August 2021
Irradiation and Size Effects on Redox Reaction Mechanisms in Iron Oxides journal February 2021
Magnetite Fe 3 O 4 (111) Surfaces: Impact of Defects on Structure, Stability, and Electronic Properties journal August 2015
The Materials Science behind Sustainable Metals and Alloys journal February 2023
Atomic Structure of the Fe3O4/Fe2O3 Interface During Phase Transition from Hematite to Magnetite journal July 2023
Anataselike Grain Boundary Structure in Rutile Titanium Dioxide journal March 2021
Redox-Driven Restructuring of FeMnZr-Oxygen Carriers Enhances the Purity and Yield of H 2 in a Chemical Looping Process journal February 2018
Atomic-Scale Mechanism of Grain Boundary Effects on the Magnetic and Transport Properties of Fe3O4 Bicrystal Films journal January 2021
Tunable Magnetic Phases at Fe3O4/SrTiO3 Oxide Interfaces journal January 2019
Spin Polarization-Assisted Dopant Segregation at a Coherent Phase Boundary journal December 2021
Direct Determination of Atomic Structure and Magnetic Coupling of Magnetite Twin Boundaries journal February 2018
Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Stabilization, Vectorization, Physicochemical Characterizations, and Biological Applications journal June 2008
Wüstite (Fe 1-x O): A review of its defect structure and physical properties journal January 1984
Electronic Conduction of Magnetite (Fe3O4) and its Transition Point at Low Temperatures journal August 1939
Observation of rare-earth segregation in silicon nitride ceramics at subnanometre dimensions journal April 2004
Subducted banded iron formations as a source of ultralow-velocity zones at the core–mantle boundary journal March 2005
Atom-resolved imaging of ordered defect superstructures at individual grain boundaries journal November 2011
Manipulating the interfacial structure of nanomaterials to achieve a unique combination of strength and ductility journal February 2016
Atomic electric fields revealed by a quantum mechanical approach to electron picodiffraction journal December 2014
Differential phase-contrast microscopy at atomic resolution journal June 2012
Global green hydrogen-based steel opportunities surrounding high quality renewable energy and iron ore deposits journal May 2023
Atomic motifs govern the decoration of grain boundaries by interstitial solutes journal June 2023
Phases at the interface journal June 2021
Real-space charge-density imaging with sub-ångström resolution by four-dimensional electron microscopy journal October 2019
Strategies for improving the sustainability of structural metals journal November 2019
Observations of grain-boundary phase transformations in an elemental metal journal March 2020
Earth shaped by primordial H2 atmospheres journal April 2023
A DFT study of the structures, stabilities and redox behaviour of the major surfaces of magnetite Fe 3 O 4 journal January 2014
Observation of magnetic dead layers at the surface of iron oxide films journal March 1986
Defect phases – thermodynamics and impact on material properties journal May 2021
The stability of ionic crystal surfaces journal November 1979
Composition, structure, and stability of RuO 2 ( 110 ) as a function of oxygen pressure journal December 2001
Direct observation of a positive spin polarization at the (111) surface of magnetite journal May 2012
Probing the surface phase diagram of Fe 3 O 4 (001) towards the Fe-rich limit: Evidence for progressive reduction of the surface journal May 2013
Electronic structure and polaronic charge distributions of Fe vacancy clusters inFe1−xO journal November 2014
Partial Dissociation of Water on Fe 3 O 4 ( 001 ) : Adsorbate Induced Charge and Orbital Order journal October 2009
Effect of Pore Formation on Redox-Driven Phase Transformation journal April 2023
Generalized Gradient Approximation Made Simple journal October 1996
Atomic Structure of the Passive Oxide Film Formed on Iron journal November 1997
The Hematite ( α- Fe2O3) (0001) Surface: Evidence for Domains of Distinct Chemistry journal August 1998
Jahn-Teller Stabilization of a “Polar” Metal Oxide Surface: Fe 3 O 4 ( 001 ) journal April 2005
Surface Verwey Transition in Magnetite journal November 2007
Direct visualization of anionic electrons in an electride reveals inhomogeneities journal April 2021
Interface Structure and Atomic Bonding Characteristics in Silicon Nitride Ceramics journal December 2004
Grain Boundary Strengthening in Alumina by Rare Earth Impurities journal January 2006
Size-Driven Structural and Thermodynamic Complexity in Iron Oxides journal March 2008
Nanometer-Thick Equilibrium Films: The Interface Between Thermodynamics and Atomistics journal April 2011
The Role of a Bilayer Interfacial Phase on Liquid Metal Embrittlement journal September 2011
Periodic Segregation of Solute Atoms in Fully Coherent Twin Boundaries journal May 2013
Subsurface cation vacancy stabilization of the magnetite (001) surface journal December 2014
Linear complexions: Confined chemical and structural states at dislocations journal September 2015
Segregation-induced ordered superstructures at general grain boundaries in a nickel-bismuth alloy journal October 2017
Deep magma ocean formation set the oxidation state of Earth’s mantle journal August 2019
Quantitative Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy for Materials Science: Imaging, Diffraction, Spectroscopy, and Tomography journal July 2023
The Structure of the Passive Film That Forms on Iron in Aqueous Environments journal January 2000
Sub-Ångstrom electric field measurements on a universal detector in a scanning transmission electron microscope journal August 2018
Half-Metallic Ferromagnetic Oxides journal October 2003
YXWU2014/IronOxide_TC: v1.0 software February 2025