1. Could you explain the significance of your article to the non-specialist? 

The preparation of crystalline samples of single-molecule magnets with controlled structural parameters, such as morphology, size and polymorphism, has been done for the first time, as far as we know, by supercritical fluids (SFs) and has given us a unique opportunity to study the influence of such structural parameters on the magnetization relaxation mechanisms as well as the transformation from the macroscopic to the nanoscopic world.   But the interest of this paper goes beyond the field of molecular magnetism and nanomagnetism, being of interest for a broad scientific community involved in the control of supramolecular and nanoscopic organization of new functional molecular materials for a better tuning of their properties and a deeper understanding of their "structure-properties" relationships.

2. What has motivated you to conduct this work? 

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are molecular materials with interesting magnetic properties characteristic of nanodomain particles. The combination of a large-spin ground state and high axial magnetic anisotropy results in a barrier for the spin reversal, and therefore, on the observation of slow magnetization relaxation rates, such as out-of-phase ac magnetic susceptibility signals and stepwise magnetization hysteresis loops, attributable to individual molecules rather than long-range ordering. Their advantages are considerable, among them, nanoscale dimensions, monodispersivity, high processability and low cost. However, although SMMs stimulate the realization of a prospective molecular computational device, control over their complex and sophisticated properties still remains a challenge to be circumvented. Precipitation with SFs gives us the opportunity to control size and polymorphism of SMMs, and therefore be able to study the influence of these structural characteristics over their magnetic properties. 

3. Where do you see this work developing in the future? 

SMMs are potential candidates for high-density information storage devices and quantum computing applications. Moreover, this new crystallization methodology can be extended to the crystallization of several other functional molecular materials where control of a given property is highly desired.

4. Are there any particular challenges facing future research in this area? 

As far as the field of SMMs is concerned, two main limitations should be addressed. Firstly, to increase their blocking temperatures to limits that allow their practical utilization. And secondly, the development of new methodologies to properly address these SMM molecules on a surface and to orient them with respect to the surface.