Abstract

We here report on the direct observation of ferroelectric properties of water ice in its 2D phase. Upon nanoelectromechanical confinement between two graphene layers, water forms a 2D ice phase at room temperature that exhibits a strong and permanent dipole which depends on the previously applied field, representing clear evidence for ferroelectric ordering. Characterization of this permanent polarization with respect to varying water partial pressure and temperature reveals the importance of forming a monolayer of 2D ice for ferroelectric ordering which agrees with ab-initio and molecular dynamics simulations conducted. The observed robust ferroelectric properties of 2D ice enable novel nanoelectromechanical devices that exhibit memristive properties. A unique bipolar mechanical switching behavior is observed where previous charging history controls the transition voltage between low-resistance and high-resistance state. This advance enables the realization of rugged, non-volatile, mechanical memory exhibiting switching ratios of 106, 4 bit storage capabilities and no degradation after 10,000 switching cycles.

Ferroelectric ordering of water has been at the heart of intense debates due to its importance in enhancing our understanding of the condensed matter. Here, the authors observe ferroelectric properties of water ice in a two dimensional phase under confinement between two graphene layers.

Details

Title
Ferroelectric 2D ice under graphene confinement
Author
Hao-Ting, Chin 1 ; Klimes Jiri 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; I-Fan, Hu 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ding-Rui, Chen 1 ; Hai-Thai, Nguyen 4 ; Ting-Wei, Chen 5 ; Shao-Wei, Ma 5 ; Hofmann, Mario 6   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Chi-Te, Liang 6   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Hsieh Ya-Ping 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Academia Sinica, Institute for Atomic and Molecular Science, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.28665.3f) (ISNI:0000 0001 2287 1366); National Taiwan University, International Graduate Program of Molecular Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.19188.39) (ISNI:0000 0004 0546 0241); Academia Sinica, Molecular Science and Technology Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.28665.3f) (ISNI:0000 0001 2287 1366) 
 Charles University, Department of Chemical Physics and Optics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Prague, Czech Republic (GRID:grid.4491.8) (ISNI:0000 0004 1937 116X) 
 Academia Sinica, Institute for Atomic and Molecular Science, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.28665.3f) (ISNI:0000 0001 2287 1366); National Taiwan University, Department of Physics, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.19188.39) (ISNI:0000 0004 0546 0241) 
 National Taiwan University, Department of Physics, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.19188.39) (ISNI:0000 0004 0546 0241); National Cheng Kung University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tainan, Taiwan (GRID:grid.64523.36) (ISNI:0000 0004 0532 3255) 
 National Chung Cheng University, Graduate Institute of Opto-Mechatronics, Chiayi, Taiwan (GRID:grid.412047.4) (ISNI:0000 0004 0532 3650) 
 National Taiwan University, Department of Physics, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.19188.39) (ISNI:0000 0004 0546 0241) 
 Academia Sinica, Institute for Atomic and Molecular Science, Taipei, Taiwan (GRID:grid.28665.3f) (ISNI:0000 0001 2287 1366) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2590782853
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.