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Effect of Substitution on the Hysteretic Phase Transition in a Bistable Phenalenyl‐Based Neutral Radical Molecular Conductor
Author(s) -
Stekovic Dejan,
Bag Pradip,
Shankhari Pritam,
Fokwa Boniface P. T.,
Itkis Mikhail E.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201805816
Subject(s) - bistability , phase transition , doping , materials science , hysteresis , condensed matter physics , conductor , chemical physics , electrical conductor , electrical resistivity and conductivity , crystallography , chemistry , optoelectronics , composite material , electrical engineering , physics , engineering
The ability to tune the physical properties of bistable organic functional materials by means of chemistry can facilitate their development for molecular electronic switching components. The butylamine‐containing biphenalenyl boron neutral radical, [Bu] 2 B, crystalline compound has recently attracted significant attention by displaying a hysteretic phase transition accompanied by simultaneous bistability in magnetic, electrical, and optical properties close to room temperature. In this report, substitutional doping was applied to [Bu] 2 B by crystallizing solid solutions of bistable [Bu] 2 B and its non‐radical‐containing counterpart [Bu] 2 Be. With increasing doping degree, the hysteretic phase transition is gradually suppressed in terms of reducing the height, but conserves the width of the hysteresis loop as observed through magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity measurements. At the critical doping level of about 6 %, the abrupt transformation of the crystal structure to that of the pure [Bu] 2 Be crystal packing was observed, accompanied by a complete collapse of the hysteresis loop. Further study of the structure–properties relationships of bistable neutral radical conductors based on the [Bu] 2 B host can be conducted utilizing a variety of biphenalenyl‐based molecular conductors.