Abstract
Abstract. The manuscript reports the investigation of spin disorder in maghemite
nanoparticles of different shape by a combination of polarized small-angle neutron scattering
(SANSPOL) and nuclear forward scattering (NFS) techniques. Both methods are sensitive to
magnetization on the nanoscale. SANSPOL allows for investigation of the particle morphology
and spatial magnetization distribution and NFS extends this nanoscale information to the
atomic scale, namely the orientation of the hyperfine field experienced by the iron nuclei. The
studied nanospheres and nanocubes with diameters of 7.4nm and 10.6 nm, respectively, exhibit
a significant spin disorder. This effect leads to a reduction of the magnetization to 44% and
58% of the theoretical maghemite bulk value, observed consistently by both techniques.
