Pedro A. Quintero

Pressure-induced enhancement of the magnetic anisotropy in Mn ( N ( CN ) 2 ) 2

Using DC and AC magnetometry, the pressure dependence of the magnetization of the threedimensional antiferromagnetic coordination polymer Mn(N(CN)2)2 was studied up to 12 kbar and down to 8 K. The magnetic transition temperature, Tc, increases dramatically with applied pressure (P), where a change from Tc(P = ambient) = 16:0 K to Tc(P = 12:1 kbar) = 23:5 K was observed. In addition, a marked difference in the magnetic behavior is observed above and below 7.1 kbar. Specifically, for P 7:1 kbar, the behavior is inverted. Additionally, for P > 8:6 kbar, minor hysteresis loops are observed. All of these effects are evidence of the increase of the superexchange interaction and the appearance of an enhanced exchange anisotropy with applied pressure.

Electrospinning of superconducting YBCO nanowires

YBa2Cu3O7?? (YBCO) nanowires with critical transition temperature Tc?=?91.7 K were synthesized by an electrospinning process with the use of sol?gel precursors. A homogeneous polymeric solution containing Y, Ba, and Cu acetates was electrospun, resulting in collections of randomly oriented nanowires as well as bundles of aligned nanowires. Fully crystallized YBCO nanowires were obtained after calcination at temperatures as low as 820 ?C. The morphology, microstructure, and crystal structure were investigated, and the diameters of the polycrystalline nanowires varied between 120 and 550 nm depending on the viscosity of the precursors. Thinner individual wires, with diameters in the 50?80 nm range, were synthesized with a single grain structure across the entire wire cross-section.

Correlating Bridging Ligand with Properties of Ligand-Templated [MnII3X3]3+ Clusters (X = Br–, Cl–, H–, MeO–)

Polynuclear manganese compounds have garnered interest as mimics and models of the water oxidizing complex (WOC) in photosystem II and as single molecule magnets. Molecular systems in which composition can be correlated to physical phenomena, such as magnetic exchange interactions, remain few primarily because of synthetic limitations. Here, we report the synthesis of a family of trimanganese(II) complexes of the type Mn3X3L (X = Cl-, H-, and MeO-) where L3- is a tris(β-diketiminate) cyclophane. The tri(chloride) complex (2) is structurally similar to the reported tri(bromide) complex (1) with the Mn3X3 core having a ladder-like arrangement of alternating M-X rungs, whereas the tri(μ-hydride) (3) and tri(μ-methoxide) (4) complexes contain planar hexagonal cores. The hydride and methoxide complexes are synthesized in good yield (48% and 56%) starting with the bromide complex employing a metathesis-like strategy. Compounds 2-4 were characterized by combustion analysis, X-ray crystallography, X-band EPR spectroscopy, SQUID magnetometry, and infrared and UV-visible spectroscopy. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that the Mn3 clusters in 2-4 are antiferromagnetically coupled, and the spin ground state of the compounds (S = 3/2 (1, 2) or S = 1/2 (3, 4)) is correlated to the identity of the bridging ligand and structural arrangement of the Mn3X3 core (X = Br, Cl, H, OCH3). Electrochemical experiments on isobutyronitrile solutions of 3 and 4 display broad irreversible oxidations centered at 0.30 V.

Light-induced magnetization changes in aggregated and isolated cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

The light-induced magnetization changes in cobalt ferrite nanoparticles are reinvestigated to probe the mechanism of photomagnetic behavior and to uncover the essential criteria required to observe the effect. Irradiation with white light results in pronounced demagnetization as evidenced by a decrease in the coercivity (ΔHc ∼ 3 kOe at 10 K) and a drop in the high field magnetization at 70 kOe. Wavelength dependent studies show the optical excitation driving the effect is broad in nature. Power and temperature (T) dependent measurements reveal strikingly different photomagnetic behaviors for the high field magnetization and coercive fields with energy scales of 25 K and 200 K, respectively. Importantly, the magnitude of the light-induced change in the magnetization is found to be specific to the synthesis protocol, with aggregated nanoparticles showing a larger effect than isolated particles. Mossbauer spectroscopy provides additional evidence of the differences between the aggregated and isolated nanoparticle samples. For T ≲ 25 K, the photo-response arises from magnetic disorder generated by an elevated electronic temperature in the surface layer of the particles, thereby leading to a decrease in magnetic volume. For 25 K ≲ T ≲ 200 K, the electronic and phononic reservoirs are more intimately coupled, so the photo-induced magnetic response follows the temperature dependence of the magneto-crystalline anisotropy. A similar response in manganese ferrite suggests that the mechanism is general.The light-induced magnetization changes in cobalt ferrite nanoparticles are reinvestigated to probe the mechanism of photomagnetic behavior and to uncover the essential criteria required to observe the effect. Irradiation with white light results in pronounced demagnetization as evidenced by a decrease in the coercivity (ΔHc ∼ 3 kOe at 10 K) and a drop in the high field magnetization at 70 kOe. Wavelength dependent studies show the optical excitation driving the effect is broad in nature. Power and temperature (T) dependent measurements reveal strikingly different photomagnetic behaviors for the high field magnetization and coercive fields with energy scales of 25 K and 200 K, respectively. Importantly, the magnitude of the light-induced change in the magnetization is found to be specific to the synthesis protocol, with aggregated nanoparticles showing a larger effect than isolated particles. Mossbauer spectroscopy provides additional evidence of the differences between the aggregated and isolated nanopar...