Plastic Deformation in a Molecular Crystal Enables a Piezoresistive Response
Avantika Hasija, Amy J. Thompson, Lakhvir Singh, S. N. Megha, Mangalampalli S. R. N. Kiran, John C. McMurtrie, Mitradip Bhattacharjee, Jack K. Clegg, Deepak Chopra
Abstract
Abstract Organic materials are promising candidates for the development of efficient sensors for many medicinal and materials science applications. Single crystals of a small molecule, 4‐trifluoromethyl phenyl isothiocyanate (4CFNCS), exhibit plastic deformation when bent, twisted, or coiled. Synchrotron micro‐focus X‐ray diffraction mapping of the bent region of the crystal confirms the mechanism of deformation. The crystals are incorporated into a flexible piezoresistive sensor using a composite constituting PEDOT: PSS/4CFNCS, which shows an impressive performance at high‐pressure ranges (sensitivity 0.08 kPa −1 above 44 kPa).