Ferroelectric metal organic framework (MOF)

Multiferroic metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with magnetic ordering and ferroelectric ordering coexisting have recently drawn considerable interest for their amazing applications in the field of magnetoelectric multifunctional materials. Based on the Landau theory and related characterizations, this comment in detail discusses the second-order ferroelectric phase transition of ABO(3) perovskite-type MOFs, including Curie-Weiss constants, symmetry breaking, spontaneous polarization, dielectric hysteresis loop, and so on. Eventually, the author gives a prospect about the development of ferroelectric MOFs. This mini-account will be of guiding significance for the design and synthesis of metal organic framework functional materials with specific multiferroic properties. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.