TY - JOUR
T1 - Ferrorotational Selectivity in Ilmenites
AU - Fang, Xiaochen
AU - De, Chandan
AU - Huang, Fei Ting
AU - Xu, Xianghan
AU - Du, Kai
AU - Wang, Kefeng
AU - Li, Bingqing
AU - Cheong, Sang Wook
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Chemical Society
PY - 2023/12/27
Y1 - 2023/12/27
N2 - Unlike what happens in conventional ferroics, the ferrorotational (FR) domain manipulation and visualization in FR materials are nontrivial as they are invariant under both space-inversion and time-reversal operations. FR domains have recently been observed by using the linear electrogyration (EG) effect and X-ray diffraction (XRD) diffraction mapping. However, ferrorotational selectivity, such as the selective processing of the FR domains and direct visualization of the FR domains, e.g., under an optical microscope, would be the next step to study the FR domains and their possible applications in technology. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the microscopic FR structural distortions in ilmenite crystals can be directly coupled with macroscopic mechanical rotations in such a way that FR domains can be visualized under an optical microscope after innovative rotational polishing, a combined ion milling with a specific rotational polishing, or a twisting-induced fracturing process. Thus, the FR domains could be a unique medium to register the memory of a rotational mechanical process due to a novel selective coupling between its microscopic structural rotations and an external macroscopic rotation. Analogous to the important enantioselectivity in modern chemistry and the pharmaceutical industry, this newly discovered ferrorotational selectivity opens up opportunities for FR manipulation and new FR functionality-based applications.
AB - Unlike what happens in conventional ferroics, the ferrorotational (FR) domain manipulation and visualization in FR materials are nontrivial as they are invariant under both space-inversion and time-reversal operations. FR domains have recently been observed by using the linear electrogyration (EG) effect and X-ray diffraction (XRD) diffraction mapping. However, ferrorotational selectivity, such as the selective processing of the FR domains and direct visualization of the FR domains, e.g., under an optical microscope, would be the next step to study the FR domains and their possible applications in technology. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the microscopic FR structural distortions in ilmenite crystals can be directly coupled with macroscopic mechanical rotations in such a way that FR domains can be visualized under an optical microscope after innovative rotational polishing, a combined ion milling with a specific rotational polishing, or a twisting-induced fracturing process. Thus, the FR domains could be a unique medium to register the memory of a rotational mechanical process due to a novel selective coupling between its microscopic structural rotations and an external macroscopic rotation. Analogous to the important enantioselectivity in modern chemistry and the pharmaceutical industry, this newly discovered ferrorotational selectivity opens up opportunities for FR manipulation and new FR functionality-based applications.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180603856&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85180603856&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/jacs.3c08635
DO - 10.1021/jacs.3c08635
M3 - Article
C2 - 38108596
AN - SCOPUS:85180603856
SN - 0002-7863
VL - 145
SP - 28022
EP - 28029
JO - Journal of the American Chemical Society
JF - Journal of the American Chemical Society
IS - 51
ER -