Twinning ferroelasticity facilitated by the partial flipping of phenyl rings in single crystals of 4,4′-dicarboxydiphenyl ether

Abstract

Evidence of ferroelasticity in a non-planar organic molecular crystal is presented for 4,4′-dicarboxydiphenyl ether. Ferroelasticity has been demonstrated by the micro- and macroscopic mechanical characterization of single crystals, including recording of a full hysteretic stress–strain cycle. The underlying mechanism involves the partial flipping of phenyl rings.

Keywords

• ferroelasticity
• organic single-crystal
• twinning deformation