| Description |
Molecule-based magnets are being studied in order to expand the utility of magnets in modern devices. Advantages of molecule-based magnets include less energy intensive synthesis and greater versatility through changes to organic components of the structure. This class of materials is studied to enable the synthesis of inexpensive and highly specialized magnets with a broader range of physical properties than today's alloy magnets. For example, it has been proposed that these magnets could allow for coupling of magnetism to other physical phenomena such as photosensitivity or used in magnetic based electronic circuits (spintronics). Studying the effect of bound solvent ligands in a family of metallopolymers with the general formula MII[C4(CN)8][solvent]x, showed that controlled removal of the solvent could improve magnetic coupling, and produced permanent bulk magnetic ordering. As Mn[C4(CN)8][acetonitrile]x, was dried, a peak formed in χ". The loss of solvent also strengthened the CN bonds by increasing bonding with the metal center, removing electron density from anti-bonding orbitals of the bonded CN. Upon drying, Mn[C4(CN)8][acetone]2 the lower temperature phase (Tc ~ 20 K) is isolated while the higher temperature phase (Tc ~ 45 K) is removed, showing that solvent can also promote magnetic behavior. |
