Room Temperature Magnetism in Layered Double Hydroxides due to Magnetic Nanoparticles

Some recent reports claiming room temperature spontaneous magnetization in layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been published; however, the reported materials cause serious concern as to whether this cooperative magnetic behavior comes from extrinsic sources, such as spinel iron oxide nanoparticles. The syntheses of crystalline Fe³⁺-based LDHs with and without impurities have been developed, highlighting the care that must be taken during the synthetic process in order to avoid misidentification of magnetic LDHs

Hybrid Materials Based on Magnetic Layered Double Hydroxides: A Molecular Perspective

ConspectusDesign of functional hybrids lies at the very core of synthetic chemistry as it has enabled the development of an unlimited number of solids displaying unprecedented or even improved properties built upon the association at the molecular level of quite disparate components by chemical design. Multifunctional hybrids are a particularly appealing case among hybrid organic/inorganic materials. Here, chemical knowledge is used to deploy molecular components bearing different functionalities within a single solid so that these properties can coexist or event interact leading to unprecedented phenomena. From a molecular perspective, this can be done either by controlled assembly of organic/inorganic molecular tectons into an extended architecture of hybrid nature or by intercalation of organic moieties within the empty channels or interlamellar space offered by inorganic solids with three-dimensional (MOFs, zeolites, and mesoporous hosts) or layered structures (phosphates, silicates, metal dichalcogenides, or anionic clays).This Account specifically illustrates the use of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) in the preparation of magnetic hybrids, in line with the development of soft inorganic chemistry processes (also called “Chimie Douce”), which has significantly contributed to boost the preparation hybrid materials based on solid-state hosts and subsequent development of applications. Several features sustain the importance of LDHs in this context. Their magnetism can be manipulated at a molecular level by adequate choice of constituting metals and interlayer separation for tuning the nature and extent of magnetic interactions across and between planes. They display unparalleled versatility in accommodating a broad range of anionic species in their interlamellar space that encompasses not only simple anions but chemical systems of increasing dimensionality and functionalities. Their swelling characteristics allow for their exfoliation in organic solvents with high dielectric strength, to produce two-dimensional nanosheets with atomic thickness that can be used as macromolecular building blocks in the assembly of nanocomposites.We describe how these advantageous properties turn LDHs into excellent vehicles for the preparation of multifunctional materials with increasing levels of complexity. For clarity, the reader will first find a succinct description of the most relevant aspects controlling the magnetism of LDHs followed by their use in the preparation of magnetic hybrids from a molecular perspective. This includes the intercalation anionic species of increasing nuclearity like paramagnetic mononuclear complexes, stimulus-responsive molecular guests, one- and two-dimensional coordination polymers, or even preassembled 2D networks. This approach allows us to evolve from “dual-function” materials with coexistence, for example, of magnetism and superconductivity, to smart materials in which the magnetic or structural properties of the LDH layers can be tuned by applying an external stimulus like light or temperature. We will conclude with a brief look into the promising features offered by magnetic nanocomposites based on LDHs and our views on the most promising directions to be pursued in this context

Interplay between Chemical Composition and Cation Ordering in the Magnetism of Ni/Fe Layered Double Hydroxides

We report the synthesis of a family of ferrimagnetic NiFe layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with a variable Ni²⁺/Fe³⁺ in-plane composition of [Ni_1‑<i>x</i>Fe_<i>x</i>(OH)₂]­(CO₃)_<i>x</i>/2·<i>y</i>H₂O (<i>x</i> = 0.20, 0.25, and 0.33) by following a modified homogeneous precipitation. These layered magnets display high crystallinity, homogeneous hexagonal morphologies, and micrometric size that enable their quantitative exfoliation into single layers by sonomechanical treatment of the solids in polar solvents. This was confirmed by dynamic light scattering, UV–vis spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron miscroscopy, and atomic force microscopy methodologies to study the resulting steady suspensions. Our magnetic study reflects that the iron content in the LDH layers controls the overall magnetism of these lamellae. Hence, the gradual replacement of Ni²⁺ with Fe³⁺ centers introduces a larger amount of antiferromagnetically coupled Fe–OH–Fe pairs across the layers, provoking that the compound with the highest Fe/Ni ratio displays spontaneous magnetization at higher temperatures (<i>T</i>_irr = 15.1 K) and the hardest coercive field (3.6 kG). Mössbauer spectroscopy confirms that the cation distribution in the layers is not random and reflects the occurrence of Fe clustering due to the higher affinity of Fe³⁺ ions to accommodate other homometallic centers in their surroundings. In our opinion, this clarifies the origin of the glassy behavior, also reported for other magnetic LDHs, and points out spin frustration as the most likely cause

Fundamental Insights into the Reductive Covalent Cross-Linking of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) have been covalently cross-linked via a reductive functionalization pathway, utilizing negatively charged carbon nanotubides (KC₄). We have compared the use of difunctional linkers acting as molecular pillars between the nanotubes, namely, <i>p</i>-diiodobenzene, <i>p</i>-diiodobiphenyl, benzene-4,4′-bis­(diazonium), and 1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-bis­(diazonium) salts as electrophiles. We have employed statistical Raman spectroscopy (SRS), a forefront characterization tool consisting of thermogravimetric analysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (TG-GC-MS) and aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging series at 80 kV to unambiguously demonstrate the covalent binding of the molecular linkers. The present study shows that the SWCNT functionalization using iodide derivatives leads to the best results in terms of bulk functionalization homogeneity (<i>H</i>_bulk) and degree of addition. Phenylene linkers yield the highest degree of functionalization, whereas biphenylene units induce a higher surface area with an increase in the thermal stability and an improved electrochemical performance in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This work illustrates the importance of molecular engineering in the design of novel functional materials and provides important insights into the understanding of basic principles of reductive cross-linking of carbon nanotubes

Fundamental Insights into the Reductive Covalent Cross-Linking of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) have been covalently cross-linked via a reductive functionalization pathway, utilizing negatively charged carbon nanotubides (KC₄). We have compared the use of difunctional linkers acting as molecular pillars between the nanotubes, namely, <i>p</i>-diiodobenzene, <i>p</i>-diiodobiphenyl, benzene-4,4′-bis­(diazonium), and 1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-bis­(diazonium) salts as electrophiles. We have employed statistical Raman spectroscopy (SRS), a forefront characterization tool consisting of thermogravimetric analysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (TG-GC-MS) and aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging series at 80 kV to unambiguously demonstrate the covalent binding of the molecular linkers. The present study shows that the SWCNT functionalization using iodide derivatives leads to the best results in terms of bulk functionalization homogeneity (<i>H</i>_bulk) and degree of addition. Phenylene linkers yield the highest degree of functionalization, whereas biphenylene units induce a higher surface area with an increase in the thermal stability and an improved electrochemical performance in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This work illustrates the importance of molecular engineering in the design of novel functional materials and provides important insights into the understanding of basic principles of reductive cross-linking of carbon nanotubes

Fundamental Insights into the Reductive Covalent Cross-Linking of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) have been covalently cross-linked via a reductive functionalization pathway, utilizing negatively charged carbon nanotubides (KC₄). We have compared the use of difunctional linkers acting as molecular pillars between the nanotubes, namely, <i>p</i>-diiodobenzene, <i>p</i>-diiodobiphenyl, benzene-4,4′-bis­(diazonium), and 1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-bis­(diazonium) salts as electrophiles. We have employed statistical Raman spectroscopy (SRS), a forefront characterization tool consisting of thermogravimetric analysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (TG-GC-MS) and aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging series at 80 kV to unambiguously demonstrate the covalent binding of the molecular linkers. The present study shows that the SWCNT functionalization using iodide derivatives leads to the best results in terms of bulk functionalization homogeneity (<i>H</i>_bulk) and degree of addition. Phenylene linkers yield the highest degree of functionalization, whereas biphenylene units induce a higher surface area with an increase in the thermal stability and an improved electrochemical performance in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This work illustrates the importance of molecular engineering in the design of novel functional materials and provides important insights into the understanding of basic principles of reductive cross-linking of carbon nanotubes

Engineering Metal Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals with BODIPY Dyes for Photosensitization and Photocatalytic Applications

The sensitization of surface-anchored organic dyes on semiconductor nanocrystals through energy transfer mechanisms has received increasing attention owing to their potential applications in photodynamic therapy, photocatalysis, and photon upconversion. Here, we investigate the sensitization mechanisms through visible-light excitation of two nanohybrids based on CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals (NC) functionalized with borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes, specifically 8-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BDP) and 8-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2,6-diiodo-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (I2-BDP), named as NC@BDP and NC@I2-BDP, respectively. The ability of I2-BDP dyes to extract hot hole carriers from the perovskite nanocrystals is comprehensively investigated by combining steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence as well as femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy with spectroelectrochemistry and quantum chemical theoretical calculations, which together provide a complete overview of the phenomena that take place in the nanohybrid. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) dominates (82%) the photosensitization of the singlet excited state of BDP in the NC@BDP nanohybrid with a rate constant of 3.8 ± 0.2 × 1010 s–1, while charge transfer (64%) mediated by an ultrafast charge transfer rate constant of 1.00 ± 0.08 × 1012 s–1 from hot states and hole transfer from the band edge is found to be mainly responsible for the photosensitization of the triplet excited state of I2-BDP in the NC@I2-BDP nanohybrid. These findings suggest that the NC@I2-BDP nanohybrid is a unique energy transfer photocatalyst for oxidizing α-terpinene to ascaridole through singlet oxygen formation