Switchable molecular conductivity.
We demonstrate the switchability of the molecular conductivity of a citrate. This was made possible through mechanical stretching of two conformers of such citrate capped on and linked between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) self-assembled as a film. On the basis of experimental results, theoretical analysis was conducted using the density function theory and Green's function to study the electron flux in the backbone. We found that the molecular conductivity depended on the pathways of electrons that were controlled by the applied mechanical stress. Under stress, we could tune the conductivity up and down for as much as 10-fold. The mechanochemistry behind this phenomenon is an alternative branch of chemistry.
Wang
Ke
K
College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3123, USA.
Rangel
Norma L
NL
Kundu
Subrata
S
Sotelo
Juan C
JC
Tovar
Roberto M
RM
Seminario
Jorge M
JM
Liang
Hong
H