TY - JOUR A1 - Feiler, Torvid A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit A1 - Michalchuk, Adam A1 - Rhim, S.-Y. A1 - Schöder, V. A1 - List-Kratochvil, E. A1 - Emmerling, Franziska T1 - Tuning the mechanical flexibility of organic molecular crystals by polymorphism for flexible optical waveguides N2 - The ability to selectively tune the optical and the mechanical properties of organic molecular crystals offers a promising approach towards developing flexible optical devices. These functional properties are sensitive to crystallographic packing features and are hence expected to vary with polymorphic modification. Using as a model system the photoluminescent material 4-bromo-6-[(6-chloropyridin-2-ylimino)methyl]phenol (CPMBP), we herein demonstrate the simultaneous tuning of mechanical flexibility and photoluminescence properties via polymorphism. Two new polymorphic forms of CPMBP were obtained from a solution and fully characterised using a combination of experiments and density functional theory simulations. These polymorphic forms exhibit remarkably distinct mechanical properties and an order of magnitude difference in photoluminescence quantum yield. The mechanically plastic form has a higher quantum yield than the brittle polymorphic form. However, their photoluminescence emission profile is largely unaffected by the observed polymorphism, thereby demonstrating that the optical properties and bulk mechanical properties can in principle be tuned independently. By distinguishing between active (involving absorption and emission) and passive (involving no absorption) light propagation, the waveguiding properties of the plastic form of CPMBP (form II) were explored using the straight and bent crystals to highlight the potential applications of CPMBP in designing flexible optical devices. Our results demonstrated that polymorph engineering would be a promising avenue to achieve concurrent modulation of the optical and mechanical properties of photoluminescent molecular crystals for next-generation flexible optical device applications. KW - Mechanochemistry KW - Flexible PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-532075 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d1ce00642h VL - 23 IS - 34 SP - 5815 EP - 5825 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - London AN - OPUS4-53207 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Belenguer, A. A1 - Lampronti, G. A1 - Michalchuk, Adam A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Sanders, J. T1 - Quantitative reversible one pot interconversion of three crystalline polymorphs by ball mill grinding N2 - We demonstrate here using a disulfide system the first example of reversible, selective, and quantitative transformation between three crystalline polymorphs by ball mill grinding. This includes the discovery of a previously unknown polymorph. Each polymorph is reproducibly obtained under well-defined neat or liquid-assisted grinding conditions, revealing subtle control over the apparent thermodynamic stability. We discovered that the presence of a contaminant as low as 1.5% mol mol−1 acting as a template is required to enable all these three polymorph transformations. The relative stabilities of the polymorphs are determined by the sizes of the nanocrystals produced under different conditions and by surface interactions with small amounts of added solvent. For the first time, we show evidence that each of the three polymorphs is obtained with a unique and reproducible crystalline size. This mechanochemical approach gives access to bulk quantities of metastable polymorphs that are inaccessible through recrystallisation. KW - Mechanochemistry KW - Polymorph KW - XRD PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-549934 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D2CE00393G SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-54993 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Heinekamp, Christian A1 - Palmer, Tahlia M. A1 - Al‐Sabbagh, Dominik A1 - May, Anastasia A1 - Prinz, Carsten A1 - Michalik, Stefan A1 - Michalchuk, Adam A1 - Emmerling, Franziska T1 - Pre‐Activation as a Route for Tuning the Kinetics of Mechanochemical Transformations N2 - Learning to control reaction kinetics is essential for translating any chemical technology into real‐world application. Based on time‐resolved in situ powder X‐ray diffraction data, we demonstrate the opportunity to tune mechanochemical reaction rates through the pre‐activation of the starting reagents. For three model co‐crystal systems, the pre‐activation of the most stable reagent yields up to a ca 10‐fold increase in the reaction rate, whilst negligible kinetic enhancement is seen when the less stable reagent is pre‐activated. Moreover, we demonstrate how the polymorphic outcome of mechano‐co‐crystallization is also sensitive to pre‐activation of the starting material. Our results suggest that reproducibility of mechanochemical processes requires detailed understanding over the origin and history of reagent powders, whilst providing a new conceptual framework to design and control mechanochemical reactions. KW - Mechanochemistry KW - In situ synthesis PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-649409 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202516632 SN - 1433-7851 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - Wiley VHC-Verlag AN - OPUS4-64940 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Michalchuk, Adam T1 - The Mechanochemical Excitation of Crystalline LiN3 N2 - Mechanochemical reactions are driven by the direct absorption of mechanical energy by a solid (often crystalline) material. Understanding how this energy is absorbed and ultimately causes a chemical transformation is essential for understanding the elementary stages of mechanochemical transformations. Using as a model system the energetic material LiN3 we here consider how vibrational energy flows through the crystal structure. By considering the compression response of the crystalline material we identify the partitioning of energy into an initial vibrational excitation. Subsequent energy flow is based on concepts of phonon–phonon scattering, which we calculate within a quasi-equilibrium model facilitated by phonon scattering data obtained from Density Functional Theory (DFT). Using this model we demonstrate how the moments (picoseconds) immediately following mechanical impact lead to significant thermal excitation of crystalline LiN3, sufficient to drive marked changes in its electronic structure and hence chemical reactivity. This work paves the way towards an ab initio approach to studying elementary processes in mechanochemical reactions involving crystalline solids. KW - Energetic materials KW - Ab initio simulation KW - DFT KW - Mechanochemistry PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-559310 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d2fd00112h SP - 1 EP - 20 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-55931 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - de Oliveira Guilherme Buzanich, Ana A1 - Cakir, Cafer Tufan A1 - Radtke, Martin A1 - Haider, M. Bilal A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - F. M. Oliveira, P. A1 - Michalchuk, Adam T1 - Dispersive x-ray absorption spectroscopy for time-resolved in situ monitoring of mechanochemical reactions N2 - X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) provides a unique, atom-specific tool to probe the electronic structure of solids. By surmounting long-held limitations of powder-based XAS using a dynamically averaged powder in a Resonant Acoustic Mixer (RAM), we demonstrate how time-resolved in situ (TRIS) XAS provides unprecedented detail of mechanochemical synthesis. The use of a custom-designed dispersive XAS (DXAS) setup allows us to increase the time resolution over existing fluorescence measurements from ∼15 min to 2 s for a complete absorption spectrum. Hence, we here establish TRIS-XAS as a viable method for studying mechanochemical reactions and sampling reaction kinetics. The generality of our approach is demonstrated through RAM-induced (i) bottom-up Au nanoparticle mechanosynthesis and (ii) the synthesis of a prototypical metal organic framework, ZIF-8. Moreover, we demonstrate that our approach also works with the addition of a stainless steel milling ball, opening the door to using TRIS-DXAS for following conventional ball milling reactions. We expect that our TRIS-DXAS approach will become an essential part of the mechanochemical tool box. KW - In situ studies KW - Dipsersive XAS KW - Mechanochemistry KW - Time-resolved PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-567659 DO - https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0130673 SN - 1089-7690 VL - 157 IS - 21 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - American Institute of Physics CY - Melville, NY AN - OPUS4-56765 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mazzeo, P A1 - Lampronti, G A1 - Michalchuk, Adam A1 - Belenguer, A A1 - Bacchi, A A1 - Emmerling, Franziska T1 - Accurate extrinsic and intrinsic peak broadening modelling for time-resolved in situ ball milling reactions via synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction N2 - The debate on the mechanisms which underpin mechanochemical reactions via ball mill grinding is still open. Our ability to accurately measure the microstructural (crystal size and microstrain) evolution of materials under milling conditions as well as their phase composition as a function of time is key to the in-depth understanding of the kinetics and driving forces of mechanochemical transformations. Furthermore, all ball milling reactions end with a steady state or milling equilibrium – represented by a specific phase composition and relative microstructure – that does not change as long as the milling conditions are maintained. The use of a standard sample is essential to determine the instrumental contribution to the X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) peak broadening for time-resolved in situ (TRIS) monitoring of mechanochemical reactions under in operando conditions. Using TRIS-XRPD on a ball milling setup, coupled with low-energy synchrotron radiation, we investigated different data acquisition and analysis strategies on a silicon standard powder. The diffraction geometry and the microstructural evolution of the standard itself have been studied to model the instrumental contribution to XRPD peak broadening throughout the grinding activity. Previously proposed functions are here challenged and further developed. Importantly, we show that minor drifts of the jar position do not affect the instrumental resolution function significantly. We here report and discuss the results of such investigations and their application to TRIS-XRPD datasets of inorganic and organic ball mill grinding reactions. KW - Mechanochemistry KW - In situ diffraction KW - Synchrotron radiation KW - Sustainable chemisry PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d2fd00104g SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-55932 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ravi, J. A1 - Feiler, Torvid A1 - Mondal, A. A1 - Michalchuk, Adam A1 - Reddy, C. M. A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Chandrasekar, R. T1 - Plastically bendable organic crystals for monolithic and hybrid micro-optical circuits N2 - Fluorescent plastically bendable crystals are a promising alternative to silicon-based materials for fabricating photonic integrated circuits, owing to their optical attributes and mechanical compliance. Mechanically bendable plastic organic crystals are rare. Their formation requires anisotropic intermolecular interactions and slip planes in the crystal lattice. This work presents three fluorescent plastically bendable crystalline materials namely, 2-((E)-(6-methylpyridin-2-ylimino)methyl)-4-chlorophenol (SB1), 2-((E)-(6-methylpyridin-2-ylimino)methyl)-4-bromophenol (SB2), and 2-((E)-(6-Bromopyridin-2-ylimino)methyl)-4-bromophenol (SB3) molecules. The crystal plasticity in response to mechanical stress facilitates the fabrication of various monolithic and hybrid (with a tip-to-tip coupling) photonic circuits using mechanical micromanipulation with an atomic force microscope cantilever tip. These plastically bendable crystals act as active (self-guiding of fluorescence) and passive waveguides both in straight and extremely bent (U-, J-, and O-shaped) geometries. These microcircuits use active and passive waveguiding principles and reabsorbance and energy-transfer mechanisms for their operation, allowing input-selective and direction-specific signal transduction. KW - Flexible crystals KW - Flexible waveguide PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-565302 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202201518 SN - 2195-1071 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-56530 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit A1 - Michalchuk, Adam A1 - Silbernagl, Dorothee A1 - Yasuda, N. A1 - Feiler, Torvid A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Emmerling, Franziska T1 - An atomistic mechanism for elasto-plastic bending in molecular crystals N2 - Mechanically flexible single crystals of molecular materials offer potential for a multitude of new directions in advanced materials design. Before the full potential of such materials can be exploited, insight into their mechanisms of action must be better understood. Such insight can be only obtained through synergistic use of advanced experimentation and simulation. We herein report the first detailed mechanistic study of elasto-plastic flexibility in a molecular solid. An atomistic origin for this mechanical behaviour is proposed through a combination of atomic force microscopy, μ-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, ab initio simulation, and computed elastic tensors. Our findings suggest that elastic and plastic bending are intimately linked and result from extensions of the same molecular deformations. The proposed mechanism bridges the gap between contested mechanisms, suggesting its applicability as a general mechanism for elastic and plastic bending in organic molecular crystals. KW - Mechanical property KW - Mechanical flexibility KW - Organic crystal PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-577722 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC06470G SN - 2041-6520 VL - 14 IS - 13 SP - 3441 EP - 3450 PB - Royal Society of Chemisty (RSC) CY - London/Cambridge AN - OPUS4-57772 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lakshmipathi, M. A1 - Dey, S. A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit A1 - Michalchuk, Adam T1 - Designing Dual Mechanical Response in Molecular Crystals through Cocrystallization N2 - Two isomorphous crystals are reported based on a naphthylvinylpyridine coformer. The crystals are mechanically flexible and exhibit photosalient response to UV irradiation. We therefore show how multiple mechanical phenomena can be simultaneously designed into a single material by cocrystallization. KW - Cocrystal KW - Mechanical response PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.2c00913 SN - 1528-7483 VL - 22 SP - 6838 EP - 6843 PB - ACS Publ. CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-56561 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Feiler, Torvid A1 - Yasuda, N. A1 - Michalchuk, Adam A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit T1 - Mechanistic Investigation of an Elastically Flexible Organic Crystal N2 - Mechanical flexibility in molecular crystals is a fascinating behavior with potential for developing advanced technologies. However, the phenomenon of mechanical bending is poorly understood. We explore for the first time the atomistic origin of elastic bending in a single component organic crystal using a combination of μ-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction and ab initio simulation. KW - Flexible crystals KW - DFT calculation KW - Bending mechanism PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-581949 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.3c00473 SN - 1528-7483 VL - 23 IS - 9 SP - 6244 EP - 6249 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-58194 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -