Palacký University Olomouc: Czech Scientists have Discovered a New Way to Control the Magnetic and Electronic Properties of Molecules

"The possibility of modifying the electronic structure of single molecules and their magnetic properties has been of interest to researchers for several decades because of its great application potential. Switching from one magnetic state to another is, with respect to the small size of molecules, an important step towards developing molecular computers," said Pavel Jelinek from the RCPTM and FZU. Molecular switches also offer applications in nanoelectronics, biology, and medicine.

Czech Republic, 04/09/2018 (informazione.news - comunicati stampa - istruzione e formazione)

" said Pavel Jelinek from the RCPTM and FZU. Molecular switches also offer applications in nanoelectronics, biology, and medicine.

Not only are the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of molecules determined by the arrangement of electrons, which move around in orbitals, but also their biological activity. Molecules with orbitals containing only one unpaired electron possess magnetic properties. However, molecules containing two paired electrons in each orbital are non-magnetic.

said Pavel Jelinek .

Generally, the properties of molecules can be tuned by covalent chemical modification, leading to alteration of the molecular constitution, i.e. termination of old and formation of new chemical bonds within the molecule. These strong interactions involve sharing of electrons that participate in the chemical bond. However, this approach is not applicable for developing molecular switches as the chemical modification usually induces irreversible alteration. Therefore, Czech scientists have attempted to employ weak non-covalent interactions despite the fact that such a strategy has never been contemplated before.

" said Pavel Hobza , a world-renowned expert on non-covalent interactions from the RCPTM and IOCB.

This elegant way of controlling molecule properties without changing the chemical structure irreversibly offers a gateway to other potential applications. 'The electronic structure influences not only the magnetic but also the optical, catalytic, electrical, and biological properties of molecules. Such chemically modified graphene may open new doors for developing novel optical sensors, photoluminescent materials, catalysts, and pharmaceuticals,' said Radek Zboril , RCPTM Director.

Radek Zboril's team has achieved a series of outstanding results in the fields of graphene and magnetism of materials. Recently, they reported the first ever non-metallic 2D magnets based on graphene and the smallest known particles of magnetic metals entrapped in a graphene-based matrix.

Radek Zboril / General Director
Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials
Slechtitelu 27
78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
Phone: (+420)-775-733-378
Email: radek.zboril@upol.cz

B. de la Torre, M. Svec, P. Hapala, J. Redondo, O. Krejci, R. Lo, D. Manna, A. Sarmah, D. Nachtigallova, J. Tucek, P. Błoński, M. Otyepka, R. Zboril, P. Hobza, and P. Jelinek: Non-covalent control of spin-state in metal-organic complex by positioning on N-doped graphene, , vol. 9, iss. 1, p. 2831, 2018. IF = 12.353.