Research

Chemical Sciences

Title :

Polarization switching and inversion in external stimuli-responsive non-ferroelectric Cobalt-dioxolane molecular systems for energy harvesting prospects

Area of research :

Chemical Sciences

Focus area :

Nanotechnology, Energy science

Principal Investigator :

Dr. Pritam sadhukhan, Indian Association for the Cultivation of science, Kolkata, West Bengal

Timeline Start Year :

2024

Timeline End Year :

2026

Contact info :

Details

Executive Summary :

Modern information technology has led to a growing interest in polar materials, particularly ferroelectric materials, due to their stimuli-responsive properties. However, conventional ferroelectric materials face challenges in polarization, as they require collective lattice modes to construct low-symmetry ferroelectric and high-symmetry paraelectric phases. Dynamic molecular crystals with molecular tailorability can switch electronic, magnetic, and optical properties by external stimuli. Cobalt-dioxolene Valence Tautomeric (VT) complexes are ideal candidates for this purpose, as they show intramolecular electron transfer and can be manipulated by external perturbations like heat, light, pressure, and magnetic fields. Light-induced polarization switching is considered more energy-efficient and could be used for high-speed switching in the quantum optoelectronics industry. Magnetic field switching in multiferroic materials is a popular topic in condensed matter physics, and researchers are exploring the possibility of achieving the magnetoelectric effect in molecular magnetic materials without long-range ordering features. This approach also allows for stimuli-responsive inversion of polarization direction, which is currently only realized in ferroelectric systems with an external electric field.

Total Budget (INR):

Organizations involved