Recent advances in self-assembly of spin crossover materials and their applications

Spin crossover (SCO) complexes can be switched between low spin and high spin states induced by an external perturbation, which can be distinguished with different magnetic, optical, and structural characteristics. These properties make spin crossover materials promising candidates for applications in spintronics, information storage, sensors, digital display, and so on. In this review, we present a concise overview of research progress in last three years on self-assembly of spin crossover materials and their applications. The review starts with a detailed description of various methods developed for preparation of spin crossover particles and spin crossover films. Then highlights on their typical applications in the fields of sensing, information storage, and actuators. The review concludes with an outline of current limitations and future potential of spin crossover materials. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.