Molecular Magnetic Materials Based on Nanographenes: Controllable Synthesis and Characterization

ended

Molecular magnets based molecular spintronics, in which properties of bulk magnetic materials and molecular quantum effects coexist, have received a lot of attention, with potential applications in molecular spin detection and manipulation for information storage and the realization of spin qubits for quantum computing. But, the field has been struggling with limited candidates, and there is a constant searching for new materials. Recently, nanographenes, including graphene molecules (GMs) and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have displayed great potential in the application of electronics. The combination of nanographene with spin-bearing centers has been proved to be an effective way to construct novel molecular magnetic materials. However, to achieve reliable structure-property correlations and desired functions, control of the nanographene structure at the atomic level is required. This goal can be realized through bottom-up syntheses starting with rationally designed molecular precursors. The primary objective of this project is using bottom-up synthetic approach to efficiently realize radical functionalized GMs and GNRs with defined structures, to systematically investigate the impact of their size and configuration on the behaviour of spin (multidisciplinary), and finally to reveal the intrinsic mechanism of spin-injection and interaction in molecular magnetic materials based on nanographenes (interdisciplinary). This project will create an excellent opportunity for me to build upon my own expertise in bottom-up synthesis of graphene molecules possessing atomically precise structures with the Prof. Bogani group’s experience in the research of magnetic and electronic properties of nanocarbon materials.