Tuning size and thermal hysteresis in bistable spin crossover nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles of iron(II) triazole salts have been prepared from water-organic microemulsions. The mean size of the nanoparticles can be tuned down to 6 nm in diameter, with a narrow size distribution. A sharp spin transition from the low spin (LS) to the high spin (HS) state is observed above room temperature, with a 30-40-K-wide thermal hysteresis.