Kasper Pedersen’s trajectory led him from a priori simple chemical systems (3d elements, fluoride, cyanide ligands, …) and simple ideas (symmetry, ligand field, exchange interaction, anisotropy) to more and more complex materials (engineering of single-molecule and single-ion magnets, 4d, 5d, 4f complexes, organic ligands, 1D chains, 2D planes, 3D solids) and to subtle, often overlooked quantum phenomena in [UF6]2-, [OsF6]2-,... This was allowed by a deep understanding of molecular quantum science, high synthetic skills and mastery of advanced physical and spectroscopic techniques (using neutrons, synchrotron and electrons).
The scientific projects of Kasper Pedersen foresee the design and the studies of extended molecular framework materials with exotic magnetic and electronic properties, exploiting the synergies between metal ions and organic ligands, such as electron transfer and redox non-innocence. He proposed chemical simplicity and symmetry to design novel structural motifs, architectures, and properties. He considers a battery of physical methods to comprehensively characterize materials, from synchrotron facilities (XMCD, RIXS, …), to 3D electron crystallography at home, to accelerate materials discovery, towards molecularly encoded quantum materials. Exciting news are to come on the molecular magnetism agenda.
Presenting the social importance of his work, Kasper Pedersen writes:
"Advancements in technology fueled by quantum phenomena are improving energy efficiency, elevating the quality of life, and propelling economic growth. Quantum materials defy established theories in materials research, displaying intricate phenomena such as interference, tunnelling, fluctuations, entanglement, and topological effects not found in classical materials.
... The virtually unlimited chemical degrees of freedom available in the design of molecular building blocks will diversify materials property engineering beyond what is possible using all established routes.
Our group has developed routes to tailor the self-assembly of highly symmetric 2D molecular mosaics where the electronic structure is dictated by the synergy of the molecular and electronic structures encoded within the molecular modules. While the efforts are unashamedly fundamental in focus, they may have actual and proximal real-world ramifications. Notably, our unorthodox approaches have ultimately led to the discovery of record hard, rare earth-free magnets and magnetic coolants for ultralow-temperature refrigeration, for instance."
The international jury delivering the Award selected the laureate among a group of outstanding scientists, ladies and gentlemen, who have contributed actively to the development of molecular magnetism in Europe and have provided the international community with remarkable scientific results since their PhD thesis, less than 10 years ago.
The members of the jury were impressed by the youth, the mobility, and the very high standard of the candidates. They are pleased that all of the candidates have stable professional positions in their home countries or abroad and are leading their own research teams.
They wish the laureate and the candidates full success in the development of their remarkable and challenging projects.
The Award will be presented to the laureate on July 15th during the European Conference on Molecular Magnetism, ECMM 2024, to be held in Krakow, Poland on July 15-18. The laureate will present an invited lecture on this occasion.
The European Institute of Molecular Magnetism (EIMM)
The members of the 2024 Olivier Kahn International Jury:
Dante Gatteschi, Honorary President, Emeritus Professor, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy Michel Verdaguer, President, Emeritus Professor, Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
Arzhang Ardavan, Professor, The Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, Oxford University, United Kingdom
Marta Mas, Research Professor, Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona, High council for Scientific Research, Bellaterra, Spain
Dawid Pinkowicz, Professor, Photomagnet Group, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Lorenzo Sorace, Associate Professor, LAMM, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
Andrea Caneschi, Secretary, Professor, LAMM, University degli studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
Paris, Firenze, June 22, 2024
Contact: andrea.caneschi@unifi.it
Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM)
Via G. Giusti, 9, I-50121 Firenze, Italy
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