Rotator side chains trigger cooperative transition for shape and function memory effect in organic semiconductors

Hyunjoong Chung, Dmytro Dudenko, Fengjiao Zhang, Gabriele D’Avino, Christian Ruzié, Audrey Richard, Guillaume Schweicher, Jérôme Cornil, David Beljonne, Yves Geerts and Ying Diao ()
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Hyunjoong Chung: University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign
Dmytro Dudenko: University of Mons
Fengjiao Zhang: University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign
Gabriele D’Avino: CNRS and Grenoble Alpes University
Christian Ruzié: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Audrey Richard: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Guillaume Schweicher: University of Cambridge
Jérôme Cornil: University of Mons
David Beljonne: University of Mons
Yves Geerts: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Ying Diao: University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Martensitic transition is a solid-state phase transition involving cooperative movement of atoms, mostly studied in metallurgy. The main characteristics are low transition barrier, ultrafast kinetics, and structural reversibility. They are rarely observed in molecular crystals, and hence the origin and mechanism are largely unexplored. Here we report the discovery of martensitic transition in single crystals of two different organic semiconductors. In situ microscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and molecular simulations combined indicate that the rotating bulky side chains trigger cooperative transition. Cooperativity enables shape memory effect in single crystals and function memory effect in thin film transistors. We establish a molecular design rule to trigger martensitic transition in organic semiconductors, showing promise for designing next-generation smart multifunctional materials.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02607-9

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