CrystEngComm Blog

Self-assembled Fe₃O₄ superstructures have unique electric and magnetic properties, such as allowing the material to exceed the ‘‘superparamagnetic limit’’ found in Fe₃O₄ with a less well defined structure. Using a novel way of synthesising Fe₃O₄ nanoflakes via an ionic liquid-assisted solvothermal process, Xiaodi Liu and colleagues have made self-assembled Fe₃O₄  structures from nanoparticles. These nanoflakes have a good monodispersity and magnetic properties that are not seen in material made by other synthetic methods, making them good candidates for applications such as high density magnetic recording.

In this study, the authors have also explored how different growth conditions affect the final structure, thus providing a method for optimising the process for making other self-assembled nanomaterials using ionic liquids.

Find out more by downloading their paper:

Ionic liquid-assisted solvothermal synthesis of oriented self-assembled Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles into monodisperse nanoflakes
Xiaodi Liu, Xiaochuan Duan, Qing Qin, Qinglun Wang and Wenjun Zheng

CrystEngComm, 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3CE00035D, Communication

Producing nanotubes of biocompatible hydroxyapatite by continuous hydrothermal synthesis
Edward Lester, Selina V. Y. Tang, Andrei Khlobystov, Vanessa Loczenski Rose, Lee Buttery and Clive J. Roberts

CrystEngComm, 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3CE26798A

Free to access until 21st April

Knowledge-based hydrogen bond prediction and the synthesis of salts and cocrystals of the anti-malarial drug pyrimethamine with various drug and GRAS molecules
Amit Delori, Peter T. A. Galek, Elna Pidcock, Mohit Patni and William Jones

CrystEngComm, 2013,15, 2916-2928, DOI: 10.1039/C3CE26765B

Free to access until 21st April

Thermodynamics and nucleation of the enantiotropic compound p-aminobenzoic acid
Michael Svärd, Fredrik L. Nordström, Eva-Maria Hoffmann, Baroz Aziz and Åke C. Rasmuson

CrystEngComm, 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3CE26984A

Free to access until 21st April

 Andrew Farrell and colleagues have conducted the first ever ultra-low temperature (2K) study of the crystal structure of the single molecule magnet, [Mn₁₂OAc], [Mn₁₂O₁₂(O₂CMe)₁₆(H₂O)₄]•4H₂O•2MeCO₂H. This is the temperature where the molecule exhibits its most interesting properties.

Using a combination of single crystal X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction, they were able to provide a better model of the molecular structure and to explain the special quantum properties of the single molecule magnet. A study of the species with the solvents removed also yielded further clues to the nature of the disorder in the solvated species.

Find out more by downloading the full paper now:

Ultra-low temperature structure determination of a Mn₁₂ single-molecule magnet and the interplay between lattice solvent and structural disorder
Andrew R. Farrell, Jonathan A. Coome, Michael R. Probert, Andres E. Goeta, Judith A. K. Howard, Marie-Helene Lemee-Cailleau, Simon Parsons and Mark Murrie
CrystEngComm, 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3CE00042G