Researchers at The University of Nottingham have created a new molecule containing two uranium atoms which, if kept at a very low temperature, will maintain its magnetism.

This type of single-molecule magnet (SMM) has the potential to increase data storage capacity by many hundreds, even thousands of times, allowing for huge volumes of data to be stored in tiny places.

The researchers have demonstrated SMM behavior by linking more than one uranium atom together via a bridging toluene molecule.

Ref.: Alexander J. Blake & Stephen T. Liddle et al., A delocalized arene-bridged diuranium single-molecule magnet, Nature Chemistry, April 17, 2011