CAREER: Construction of Magnetic Cyanide-, Acetylide-, and Butadiynylide-Based Clusters

University Of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington KY

Investigators

Abstract

This CAREER award by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program supports work by Professor Stephen M. Holmes at the University of Kentucky to study molecule-based materials that exhibit tunable magnetic and photomagnetic behaviors. A series of stable and magnetically anisotropic poly(pyrazolyl)borate cyanometalate and alkynyl precursors are prepared and controllably aggregated into a series of magnetic and photomagnetic polynuclear cluster derivatives. The fundamental structure-property relationships assist in the understanding and engineering of tunable magnetic and optical properties, especially for applications in molecule-based memory devices. The Summer Nanoscale Institute and physical property measurement courses for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students introduce and describe nanoscale science and spectroscopy concepts from a first-principle standpoint. Spectroscopic and magnetic characterizations of user-supplied materials are discussed and tutorial experiments are performed by students using remote access. The newly acquired skills and access to instrumentation enable the timely and cost-effective collection and interpretation of spectroscopic data for research groups at a variety of regional undergraduate institutions. Collaborative participation of regional mentors and the exchange and support of their students at Centre College and Kentucky State University (local minority-serving and Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) institutions) expand nanoscale curriculum development and research activities across the region.