The mechanism of bending in a plastically flexible crystal

Mechanically adaptable molecular crystals have potential applications in flexible smart materials and devices. Here, we report the mechanism of plastic deformation in single crystals of a small organic molecule (N-(4-ethynylphenyl)-3-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzamide) that can be repeatedly irreversibly bent and returned to its original shape without concomitant delamination or loss of integrity. Along with the quantification of the crystals' local and bulk mechanical properties (hardness, indentation modulus and Young's modulus), micro-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction mapping show that upon deformation, molecular layers lined with trifluoromethyl groups cooperatively slip past one another resulting in their impressive plastic malleability.