Side‐Group‐Mediated Mechanical Conductance Switching in Molecular Junctions

Ismael, Ali Khalid ORCID: 0000-0001-7943-3519, Wang, Kun ORCID: 0000-0002-4907-310X, Vezzoli, Andrea ORCID: 0000-0002-8059-0113, Al‐Khaykanee, Mohsin K, Gallagher, Harry E, Grace, Iain M ORCID: 0000-0001-8686-2290, Lambert, Colin J ORCID: 0000-0003-2332-9610, Xu, Bingqian ORCID: 0000-0002-7873-3162, Nichols, Richard J ORCID: 0000-0002-1446-8275 and Higgins, Simon J ORCID: 0000-0003-3518-9061 (2017) Side‐Group‐Mediated Mechanical Conductance Switching in Molecular Junctions. Angewandte Chemie, 129 (48). pp. 15580-15584.

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Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>A key target in molecular electronics has been molecules having switchable electrical properties. Switching between two electrical states has been demonstrated using such stimuli as light, electrochemical voltage, complexation and mechanical modulation. A classic example of the latter is the switching of 4,4′‐bipyridine, leading to conductance modulation of around 1 order of magnitude. Here, we describe the use of side‐group chemistry to control the properties of a single‐molecule electromechanical switch, which can be cycled between two conductance states by repeated compression and elongation. While bulky alkyl substituents inhibit the switching behavior, π‐conjugated side‐groups reinstate it. DFT calculations show that weak interactions between aryl moieties and the metallic electrodes are responsible for the observed phenomenon. This represents a significant expansion of the single‐molecule electronics “tool‐box” for the design of junctions with electromechanical properties.</jats:p>

Item Type:	Article
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	29 Jan 2018 11:28
Last Modified:	18 Sep 2023 23:02
DOI:	10.1002/ange.201709419
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3015065