title: A Mixed-Ligand Approach for a Gigantic and Hollow Heterometallic Cage {Ni64 RE96 } for Gas Separation and Magnetic Cooling Applications.
abstract: Nanosized aggregations of metal ions shielded by organic ligands possessing both exquisite structural aesthetics and intriguing properties are fundamentally interesting. Three isostructural gigantic transition-metal-rare-earth heterometallic coordination cages are reported, abbreviated as {Ni64 RE96 } (RE=Gd, Dy, and Y) and obtained by a mixed-ligand approach, each possessing a cuboidal framework made of 160 metal ions and a nanosized spherical cavity in the center. Along with the structural novelty, these hollow cages show highly selective adsorptions for CO2 over CH4 or N2 at ambient temperatures. Moreover, the gadolinium analogue exhibits large magnetocaloric effect at ultralow temperatures.
authors.affiliation: Frontier Institute of Science and Technology (FIST), State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior for Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Peng
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
authors.forename: Pei-Qin
authors.initials: PQ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Frontier Institute of Science and Technology (FIST), State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior for Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, China.
authors.forename: Youzhu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Frontier Institute of Science and Technology (FIST), State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior for Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, China. zheng.yanzhen@xjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yan-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zheng
keywords: cluster complexes; coordination cages; gas separation; magnetic cooling; rare-earth elements