Florence Volatron

Spin-crossover coordination nanoparticles.

Spin-crossover coordination nanoparticles of the cyanide-bridged three-dimensional network Fe(pyrazine){Pt(CN) 4} were prepared at three different sizes using a microemulsion. The 14 nm particles present a transition centered around 265 K with a hysteresis of 6 K.

Metal-to-metal electron transfer in Co/Fe Prussian Blue molecular analogues: the ultimate miniaturization.

Co/Fe Prussian Blue analogues are known to display both thermally and light induced electron transfer attributed to the switching between diamagnetic {Fe(II)LS(μ-CN)Co(III)LS} and paramagnetic {Fe(III)LS(μ-CN)Co(II)HS} pairs (LS = low spin; HS = high spin). In this work, a dinuclear cyanido-bridged Co/Fe complex, the smallest {Fe(μ-CN)Co} moiety at the origin of the remarkable physical properties of these systems, has been designed by a rational building-block approach. Combined structural, spectroscopic, magnetic and photomagnetic studies reveal that a metal-to-metal electron transfer that can be triggered in solid state by light, temperature and solvent contents, is observed for the first time in a dinuclear complex.

Investigation of the photoinduced magnetization of copper octacyanomolybdates nanoparticles by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

Through an extensive set of SQUID magnetic measurements, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, we have determined the nature of the metastable photomagnetic phase in the cyano-bridged 3D network Cs(2)Cu(7)[Mo(CN)(8)](4). The photomagnetic effect is induced by the photoconversion of Mo(IV) ions in low spin (LS) configuration (S = 0) into Mo(IV) ions in high spin (HS) configuration (S = 1). The magnetic and spectroscopic measurements fully support the LS to HS conversion, whereas the previously invoked charge transfer mechanism Mo(IV) + Cu(II) ⇒ Mo(V) + Cu(I) can be completely ruled out.

Photo-induced magnetic bistability in a controlled assembly of anisotropic coordination nanoparticles

Anisotropic coordination nanoparticles of the photomagnetic network Cs(I)(2)Cu(II)(7)[Mo(IV)(CN)(8)](4) are obtained through a surfactant-free high-yield synthetic procedure in water. These particles are organised as Langmuir-Blodgett films with a preferential orientation of the nano-objects within the film that exhibit a magnetic bistability below 20 K with a very large coercivity due to an efficient photo-transformation.

Tailor-made Covalent Organic-Inorganic Polyoxometalate Hybrids: Versatile Platforms for the Elaboration of Functional Molecular Architectures.

Post-functionalization of organically modified polyoxometalates (POMs) is a powerful synthetic tool to devise functional building blocks for the rational elaboration of POM-based molecular materials. In this personal account we focus on iodoaryl-terminated POM platforms, describe reliable routes to the synthesis of covalent organic-inorganic POM-based hybrids and their integration into advanced molecular architectures or multi-scale assemblies as well as their immobilization onto surfaces. Valorisation of the remarkable redox properties of POMs in the fields of artificial synthesis and molecular electronic is especially considered.

Grafting a Monolayer of Superparamagnetic Cyanide-Bridged Coordination Nanoparticles on Si(100)

The grafting of a monolayer of 6 nm superparamagnetic cyanide-bridged CsNiCr nanoparticles was achieved on a Ni(II)-functionalized Si(100) substrate; magnetic studies reveals that the grafted nanoparticles are nearly magnetically isolated within the monolayer.

High-Quality Metal–Organic Framework Ultrathin Films for Electronically Active Interfaces

Currently available methodologies arguably lack the exquisite control required for producing metal-organic framework (MOF) thin films of sufficient quality for electronic applications. By directing MOF transfer with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), we achieve very smooth, homogeneous, highly oriented, ultrathin films across millimeter-scale areas that display moderate conductivity likely due to electron hopping. Here, the SAM is key for directing the transfer thereby enlarging the number and nature of the substrates of choice. We have exploited this versatility to evolve from deposition onto standard Si and Au to nonconventional substrates such as ferromagnetic Permalloy. We believe that this strategy might be useful for the integration of MOFs as active interfaces in electronic devices.

Magnetic imaging of cyanide-bridged co-ordination nanoparticles grafted on FIB-patterned Si substrates.

Prussian blue CsNiCr nanoparticles are used to decorate selected portions of a Si substrate. For successful grafting to take place, the Si surface needs first to be chemically functionalized. Low-dose focused ion beam patterning on uniformly functionalized surfaces selects those portions that will not participate in the grafting process. Step-by-step control is assured by atomic force and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, revealing a submonolayer distribution of the grafted nanoparticles. By novel scanning Hall-probe microscopy, an in-depth investigation of the magnetic response of the nanoparticles to varying temperature and applied magnetic field is provided. The magnetic images acquired suggest that low-temperature canted ferromagnetism is found in the grafted nanoparticles, similar to what is observed in the equivalent bulk material.

Magnetic Anisotropy of Cyanide‐Bridged Core and Core–Shell Coordination Nanoparticles Probed by X‐ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism

The local symmetry and local magnetic properties of 6 nm-sized, bimetallic, cyanide-bridged CsNiCr(CN)6 coordination nanoparticles 1 and 8 nm-sized, trimetallic, CsNiCr(CN)6@CsCoCr(CN)6 core-shell nanoparticles 2 were studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The measurements were performed at the Ni(II), Co(II), and Cr(III) L2,3 edges. This study revealed the presence of distorted Ni(II) sites located on the particle surface of 1 that account for the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy observed by SQUID measurements. For the core-shell particles, a combination of the exchange anisotropy between the core and the shell and the pronounced anisotropy of the Co(II) ions is the origin of the large increase in coercive field from 120 to 890 Oe on going from 1 to 2. In addition, XMCD allows the relative orientation of the magnetic moments throughout the core-shell particles to be determined. While for the bimetallic particles of 1, alignment of the magnetic moments of Cr(III) ions with those of Ni(II) ions leads to uniform magnetization, in the core-shell particles 2 the magnetic moments of the isotropic Cr(III) follow those of Co(II) ions in the shell and those of Ni(II) ions in the core, and this leads to nonuniform magnetization in the whole nanoobject, mainly due to the large difference in local anisotropy between the Co(II) ions belonging to the surface and the Ni(II) ions in the core.

Electron Transfer to a Phosphomolybdate Monolayer on Glassy Carbon: Ambivalent Effect of Protonation.

The polyoxomolybdate hybrid TBA3[PMo11O39{Sn(C6H4)C≡C(C6H4)N2}] K(Mo)Sn[N2(+)] was prepared through Sonogashira-type coupling between TBA4[PMo11O39{Sn(C6H4)I}] K(Mo)Sn[I] and an excess of 3,3-diethyl-1-(4-ethynylphenyl)triaz-1-ene bearing a protected diazonium function, followed by its deprotection by the addition of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). This enlarges the family of organic-inorganic polyoxomolybdate-based hybrids, which has been far less investigated than their related polyoxotungstates. The diazonium function allows for the electrochemical grafting on glassy carbon, and the K(Mo)Sn-modified electrode was further probed by cyclic voltammetry. The PMo11Sn core was found to be highly sensitive to protonation, and five bielectronic proton-coupled electron transfer processes were detected in the presence of an excess of TFA, thus corresponding to the injection of up to 10 electrons in the potential range between 0.15 and -0.45 V/SCE. The gain observed in the thermodynamic potentials is however detrimental to the apparent kinetics of the electron transfer, which drops from 500 s(-1) in the absence of acid to 12 s(-1) in the presence of an excess of TFA.