The crystal engineering approach to creating novel molecular-based magnetic materials

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Annie Powell
• Subject Area: Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis
• Term: from 2002 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5368459

The overall aim of this programme is to explore synthetic routes to producing magnetically cooperating systems based on molecular entities and to investigate their structures and properties. Previous work in this group has shown how it is possible to use templating ligands to produce zero dimensional, cluster based systems as well as extended networks of interacting individual paramagnetic centres in one, two and three dimensions. Furthermore, we have recently begun to explore the creation of specified supramolecular and/or synthon organised arrays of the zero dimensional systems which offer possibilities for processing superparamagnetic particles into films or networks of various dimensionalities. This will allow for the creation of cooperative interactions amongst individual high ground state spin particles in a controlled and monodispersed system. This is turn will enable the development of the theory used to describe such systems, which will be carried out in cooperation with the group of Professor Roberta Sessoli in Florence.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1137: Molecular Magnetism