New ferroelectrics based on divalent metal ion alum

Wen Zhang; Li-Zhuang Chen; Ren-Gen Xiong; Takayoshi Nakamura; Songping D Huang

doi:10.1021/ja905399x

New ferroelectrics based on divalent metal ion alum

J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Sep 9;131(35):12544-5. doi: 10.1021/ja905399x.

Authors

Wen Zhang¹, Li-Zhuang Chen, Ren-Gen Xiong, Takayoshi Nakamura, Songping D Huang

Affiliation

¹ Ordered Matter Science Research Center, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, PR China.

PMID: 19685869
DOI: 10.1021/ja905399x

Abstract

A detailed study of two alum-type complexes containing the SeO(4)(2-) anion, 1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane hexaaquacopper(II) bis(selenate) [(H(2)dbco)Cu(H(2)O)(6)(SeO(4))(2), 1] and its deuterated analogue (D(2)dbco)Cu(D(2)O)(6)(SeO(4))(2) (2), has revealed that 1 and 2 are new ferroelectrics that undergo a paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition at ca. -140 to -138 degrees C as a result of order-disorder features of the cation ([H(2)dbco](2+) or [D(2)dbco](2+)) and anion (selenate). These are the first examples of ferroelectrics based on divalent metal anion alum analogues since the discovery of ferroelectrics based on trivalent metal anion alum in approximately 1960.