Biferroelectricity of a homochiral organic molecule in both solid crystal and liquid crystal phases

Xian-Jiang Song, Xiao-Gang Chen, Jun-Chao Liu, Qin Liu, Yi-Piao Zeng, Yuan-Yuan Tang, Peng-Fei Li, Ren-Gen Xiong () and Wei-Qiang Liao ()
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Xian-Jiang Song: Nanchang University
Xiao-Gang Chen: Nanchang University
Jun-Chao Liu: Nanchang University
Qin Liu: Nanchang University
Yi-Piao Zeng: Nanchang University
Yuan-Yuan Tang: Nanchang University
Peng-Fei Li: Nanchang University
Ren-Gen Xiong: Nanchang University
Wei-Qiang Liao: Nanchang University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Ferroelectricity, existing in either solid crystals or liquid crystals, gained widespread attention from science and industry for over a century. However, ferroelectricity has never been observed in both solid and liquid crystal phases of a material simultaneously. Inorganic ferroelectrics that dominate the market do not have liquid crystal phases because of their completely rigid structure caused by intrinsic chemical bonds. We report a ferroelectric homochiral cholesterol derivative, β-sitosteryl 4-iodocinnamate, where both solid and liquid crystal phases can exhibit the behavior of polarization switching as determined by polarization–voltage hysteresis loops and piezoresponse force microscopy measurements. The unique long molecular chain, sterol structure, and homochirality of β-sitosteryl 4-iodocinnamate molecules enable the formation of polar crystal structures with point group 2 in solid crystal phases, and promote the layered and helical structure in the liquid crystal phase with vertical polarization. Our findings demonstrate a compound that can show the biferroelectricity in both solid and liquid crystal phases, which would inspire further exploration of the interplay between solid and liquid crystal ferroelectric phases.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33925-2

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