A Magnetocaloric Glass from an Ionic-Liquid Gadolinium Complex

[Gd-5(L)(16)(H2O)(8)](Tf2N)(15) was obtained from reaction of Gd2O3 with 1-carboxymethyl-3-ethylimidazolium chloride (LHCl). The material was found to be an ionic liquid that freezes to glassy state on cooling to -30 degrees C. Variable-temperature magnetic studies reveal the presence of weak magnetic intramolecular interactions in the glass. Isothermal variable-field magnetization demonstrates a magnetocaloric effect (MCE), which is the first finding of such an effect in a molecular glass. This MCE is explainable by an uncoupled representation, with a magnetic entropy change of -11.36 J K-1 kg(-1) at 1.8 K for a 0-7 T magnetic field change, and with a refrigerant capacity of 125.9 J kg(-1), in the 1.8-50 K interval.

Automated summary

[Gd-5(L)(16)(H2O)(8)](Tf2N)(15) obtained from the reaction was found to be a frozen organic glass liquid with weak magnetic intramolecular interactions, exhibiting a magnetocaloric effect.