Inducing piezoelectric behavior in a copper iodide cubane cluster-based metal–organic framework via linker engineering

Abstract

Cu₄I₄ cubane-type secondary building units are reticulated with a piperazine linker at room temperature to crystallize the metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) Cu₄I₄(Pip)₂ in a non-centrosymmetric P6₂22 space group. For the first time, cubane cluster type MOF's strong piezoelectric nature has been studied by switching spectroscopy piezo force microscopy (SS-PFM) and piezo force microscopy (PFM) mapping of the crystal, with piezoelectric constant (d₃₃) ∼52.33 pm V⁻¹, highlighting its potential for mechanical energy harvesting processes.