Diisopropylammonium bromide is a high-temperature molecular ferroelectric crystal.

Fu, Da-Wei; Cai, Hong-Ling; Liu, Yuanming; Ye, Qiong; Zhang, Wen; Zhang, Yi; Chen, Xue-Yuan; Giovannetti, Gianluca et al. · Science · 2013

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Molecular ferroelectrics are highly desirable for their easy and environmentally friendly processing, light weight, and mechanical flexibility. We found that diisopropylammonium bromide (DIPAB), a molecular crystal processed from aqueous solution, is a ferroelectric with a spontaneous polarization of 23 microcoulombs per square centimeter [close to that of barium titanate (BTO)], high Curie temperature of 426 kelvin (above that of BTO), large dielectric constant, and low dielectric loss. DIPAB exhibits good piezoelectric response and well-defined ferroelectric domains. These attributes make it a molecular alternative to perovskite ferroelectrics and ferroelectric polymers in sensing, actuation, data storage, electro-optics, and molecular or flexible electronics.