High energy is making progress in the field of flexible complex crystal materials

[ Instrument R&D of Instrument Network ] Recently, the research group of Shi Weiqun, a multidisciplinary center of the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has made new progress in the field of functional actinide complex flexible crystal research.

The preparation and application of new functional materials have always played a key role in the process of human modernization. In the study of materials science, crystalline materials are the main body of many solid materials. Its main feature is that the structure is highly ordered and stable, and can pass the function of the material. Oriented design to obtain corresponding special properties, functional crystalline materials can be used to prepare high-tech functional devices suitable for different fields.

The State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials has complete crystal growth methods, advanced structure, performance characterization, and advanced device manufacturing equipment; scientific research has gradually evolved from simple tracking and imitation to today, and it is quite innovative in material design, preparation, and related technologies. The research strength is at the international advanced level, and at the same time, an excellent research group has gradually formed; the research field has expanded from bulk crystals to low-dimensionality, and the research level has expanded from macroscopic to mesoscopic and microscopic.

Generally speaking, crystalline materials will show higher mechanical strength due to their highly ordered structure, but they often also face the shortcomings of brittleness and insufficient toughness, which is particularly evident in polymer materials. Shi Weiqun's team used semi-rigid organic molecules to design and synthesize a actinide flexible metal organic material (MOM) crystal with multiple stimuli response properties. This type of MOM crystal compound uses a molecular spring-type triple helix chain as the structural unit and shows good macroscopic flexibility. It can undergo corresponding force-induced elastic deformation and thermally-induced jump response under the application of external force or heating and heating.

Flexible material is a broad concept. Relative to rigid materials, it refers to materials with a certain degree of softness and flexibility. In practical applications, the flexible materials we commonly use are generally polymer materials, such as resins and fibers. Daily products such as clothing fabrics, plastic films, etc. Recently, everyone talks about flexible materials, which refers to the field of wearable materials, such as flexible electrodes, flexible sensors and so on.

This research provides important ideas and references for the design, synthesis and application of new multi-functional flexible MOMs in the future. More importantly, this force-thermal dual mechanical response triple helix coordination polymer successfully combines the highly ordered structure and macroscopic plasticity of crystalline materials, and represents a new class of multifunctional flexible MOM crystals. It will greatly expand the application of MOM functional compounds in the field of flexible materials and devices. In the future, molecular design and modification can also achieve higher-order multiple stimulus response capabilities of such flexible crystalline materials, such as temperature, light, acidity, and objects.

Source: Encyclopedia, Institute of High Energy Physics