Ferroelectric metal-organic frameworks.

Xuan Zhang Advisor: Prof. Kim R. Dunbar Apr. 16, 2012 Room 2102 Ever since its appearance about 17 years ago, 1 the term Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) has been gaining tremendous attention in chemistry and crystal engineering because of the fascinating solid state materials it pertains to. These MOFs, also known as porous coordination polymers (PCPs) are characterized by their high porosity, large surface area, and easy tunability of surface and structural properties. And they are extensively investigated for the potential applications in gas storage and separation, catalysis and biomedical imaging. 3 Due to their unique structural motifs, the surface properties and the macroproperties can also be readily adjusted to afford functionalities such as ferroelectricity, electron conductivity, magnetism and optical properties. 3 Among these less well-developed functionalities, the ferroelectric properties of some lately reported MOFs will be presented in this talk, covering their triggering mechanism, designing strategies and potential applications as multifunctional materials.