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Supramolecular ferroelectrics

Nature Chemistry volume 7, pages 281–294 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Supramolecular chemistry uses non-covalent interactions to coax molecules into forming ordered assemblies. The construction of ordered materials with these reversible bonds has led to dramatic innovations in organic electronics, polymer science and biomaterials. Here, we review how supramolecular strategies can advance the burgeoning field of organic ferroelectricity. Ferroelectrics — materials with a spontaneous and electrically reversible polarization — are touted for use in non-volatile computer memories, sensors and optics. Historically, this physical phenomenon has been studied in inorganic materials, although some organic examples are known and strong interest exists to extend the search for ferroelectric molecular systems. Other undiscovered applications outside this regime could also emerge. We describe the key features necessary for molecular and supramolecular dipoles in organic ferroelectrics and their incorporation into ordered systems, such as porous frameworks and liquid crystals. The goal of this Review is to motivate the development of innovative supramolecular ferroelectrics that exceed the performance and usefulness of known systems.

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Figure 1: Supramolecular designs for ferroelectricity.
Figure 2: Mechanisms for ferroelectricity in hydrogen-bonded crystals.
Figure 3: Ferroelectricity in CT crystals.
Figure 4: Metal–ligand systems and molecular rotators as ferroelectrics.
Figure 5: Ferroelectric liquid crystals.
Figure 6: Ferroelectricity in columnar liquid crystals.
Figure 7: Perspective.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford St., Cambridge, 02143, Massachusetts, USA

    Alok S. Tayi

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan

    Alok S. Tayi, Adrien Kaeser, Michio Matsumoto & Takuzo Aida

  3. RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan

    Takuzo Aida

  4. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, 60208, Illinois, USA

    Samuel I. Stupp

  5. Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, 60208, Illinois, USA

    Samuel I. Stupp

  6. Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, 251 East Huron Street, Chicago, 60611, Illinois, USA

    Samuel I. Stupp

  7. Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, 303 East Superior Street, Suite 11-131, Chicago, 60611, Illinois, USA

    Samuel I. Stupp

Authors
  1. Alok S. Tayi
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  2. Adrien Kaeser
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  3. Michio Matsumoto
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  4. Takuzo Aida
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  5. Samuel I. Stupp
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Contributions

A.S.T. and A.K. contributed equally to this work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samuel I. Stupp.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Tayi, A., Kaeser, A., Matsumoto, M. et al. Supramolecular ferroelectrics. Nature Chem 7, 281–294 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2206

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2206

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