Water printing of ferroelectric polarization

Yu Tian, Lanying Wei, Qinghua Zhang, Houbing Huang, Yuelin Zhang, Hua Zhou, Fengjie Ma, Lin Gu, Sheng Meng, Long-Qing Chen, Ce-Wen Nan and Jinxing Zhang ()
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Yu Tian: Beijing Normal University
Lanying Wei: Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics
Qinghua Zhang: Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics
Houbing Huang: Beijing Institute of Technology
Yuelin Zhang: Beijing Normal University
Hua Zhou: Beijing Normal University
Fengjie Ma: Beijing Normal University
Lin Gu: Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics
Sheng Meng: Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics
Long-Qing Chen: The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Ce-Wen Nan: Tsinghua University
Jinxing Zhang: Beijing Normal University

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Ferroelectrics, which generate a switchable electric field across the solid–liquid interface, may provide a platform to control chemical reactions (physical properties) using physical fields (chemical stimuli). However, it is challenging to in-situ control such polarization-induced interfacial chemical structure and electric field. Here, we report that construction of chemical bonds at the surface of ferroelectric BiFeO3 in aqueous solution leads to a reversible bulk polarization switching. Combining piezoresponse (electrostatic) force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, first-principles calculations and phase-field simulations, we discover that the reversible polarization switching is ascribed to the sufficient formation of polarization-selective chemical bonds at its surface, which decreases the interfacial chemical energy. Therefore, the bulk electrostatic energy can be effectively tuned by H+/OH− concentration. This water-induced ferroelectric switching allows us to construct large-scale type-printing of polarization using green energy and opens up new opportunities for sensing, high-efficient catalysis, and data storage.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06369-w

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