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Yes—but only in a specialized laboratory demonstration. Researchers used a scanning tunnelling microscope to remove selected hydrogen atoms from metal-free porphyrin chains, creating molecular units with controllable spins and magnetic interactions. The result was a way to engineer quantum spin chains one atom at a time, not a ready-to-use magnet or computing component.
How researchers controlled magnetism in porphyrins
In a 2022 study published online in Nature Chemistry, Zhao, Jiang, Li and colleagues formed covalent chains of two to five metal-free porphyrin units on a gold (Au(111)) surface. The work appeared in volume 15 of the journal, dated January 2023. The researchers performed the experiment under ultrahigh vacuum and used the tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) to remove hydrogen atoms from selected carbon atoms in the chains. The paper and abstract describe how those targeted changes turned selected porphyrin units into radicals or biradicals.
These altered units supplied the spin states needed to build molecular nanomagnets. By choosing where to create them, the researchers could tune both magnetic interactions within an individual porphyrin and coupling between neighboring porphyrins. In this context, “customisable” means atom-by-atom control of selected units and the resulting chain spin states under demanding experimental conditions—not a material that can be adjusted or used like a household magnet.
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The paper reports two cases, distinguished by the spin associated with each porphyrin unit. Their observed behaviors differ; neither is presented as a better product option.
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| Spin per unit | Reported behavior | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| S = 1/2 | The antiferromagnetic chains displayed a gapped excitation. | The observation was consistent with Heisenberg-model calculations. |
| S = 1 | The antiferromagnetic chains showed distinct end states for even- versus odd-numbered spin chains. | The observation was consistent with Heisenberg-model calculations. |
Antiferromagnetic coupling means neighboring spins tend to align in opposite directions. A gapped excitation means the chain has a finite energy separation between its ground state and an excited state. The parity-dependent end states indicate that whether the chain contains an even or odd number of spin units matters to its boundary behavior. These are findings about quantum behavior in the prepared molecular chains, not measures of a device’s storage capacity or computing speed.
Why use metal-free porphyrins?
Molecular magnetism often relies on d- or f-transition-metal ions. Their spin–orbit coupling and crystal fields can introduce magnetic anisotropy. The authors’ metal-free porphyrin approach demonstrates that engineered spin interactions and collective quantum behavior can also be studied in a system without those metal centers. The study establishes that possibility in this particular on-surface setup; it does not show that metal-free molecules eliminate the practical challenges of building usable devices.
What this result does—and does not—establish
This was a fundamental experiment on a prepared surface, conducted in ultrahigh vacuum and relying on an STM both to manipulate atoms and to characterize the chains. The authors reported magnetic excitations and chain end states. They did not report a fabricated memory product, a working quantum-computing component, or a commercial technology.
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Molecular nanomagnets may be worth investigating for future information-storage or quantum-computing applications, but those are motivations for further research, not capabilities demonstrated by this study. Chemistry World’s account likewise describes the work as a research result rather than an available application.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Study details and further reading
The article by Yan Zhao, Kaiyue Jiang, Can Li and colleagues is titled “Quantum nanomagnets in on-surface metal-free porphyrin chains.” It was first published online on 24 October 2022, then appeared in Nature Chemistry volume 15, pages 53–60, in the January 2023 issue. The paper lists affiliations including Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Harvard University. Read the primary paper and abstract. For broader journal context, see “Quantum spin chains go organic” in Nature Chemistry.
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