Highlights

Cool magnetic molecules Certain materials are known to heat up or cool down when they are exposed to a changing magnetic field. This is known as the magnetocaloric effect. All magnetic materials exhibit this effect, but in most cases, it is too small to be technologically useful. Recently, however, an international collaboration of researchers from

Molecular fridge can reach millikelvin by Simon Hadlington Scientists have laid the foundations for a high-performance ‘molecular fridge’ capable of reaching temperatures within a few thousandths of a degree of absolute zero with a high degree of efficiency. Such ultracoolers could have applications in areas such as ultra-low temperature physics, where alternative technologies such as

Molecular coolers get RSC – Chemical Science cover story The cover story of the first issue of year 2011 of Chemical Science will feature our article titled Co–Gd phosphonate complexes as magnetic refrigerants, by Yan-Zhen Zheng, Marco Evangelisti and Richard E. P. Winpenny. Link to https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C0SC00371A.

Cobalt-gadolinium cages as magnetic refrigerants by Joanne Thomson A new family of cobalt-gadolinium cage compounds are highly efficient for low temperature cooling, say European scientists. Link to the highlight. Also highlighted by MRS News and Highlights in Chemical Technology.

Molecular coolers get JACS cover story The cover story of the September 22nd issue of The Journal of the American Chemical Society will feature an article from members of our team in collaboration with colleagues at Edinburgh, Berkeley and Columbia. Our work targeted the synthesis of molecular nanomagnets for enhanced magnetic refrigeration and the experimental

Single-molecule magnets: Gadolinium keeps its cool by Anne Pichon A cluster formed by calixarenes coordinated to a mixed metal manganese–gadolinium magnetic core has excited states that are populated at low temperature, and shows promise for magnetic refrigeration systems. Single-molecule magnets (SMMs), which combine properties explained by classical and quantum physics, are attractive not just for