Dynamic-to-static switch of hydrogen bonds induces a metal–insulator transition in an organic–inorganic superlattice

Abstract

Hydrogen bonds profoundly influence the fundamental chemical, physical and biological properties of molecules and materials. Owing to their relatively weaker interactions compared to other chemical bonds, hydrogen bonds alone are generally insufficient to induce substantial changes in electrical properties, thus imposing severe constraints on their applications in related devices. Here we report a metal–insulator transition controlled by hydrogen bonds for an organic–inorganic (1,3-diaminopropane)_0.5SnSe₂ superlattice that exhibits a colossal on–off ratio of 10⁷ in electrical resistivity. The key to inducing the transition is a change in the amino group’s hydrogen-bonding structure from dynamic to static. In the dynamic state, thermally activated free rotation continuously breaks and forms transient hydrogen bonds with adjacent Se anions. In the static state, the amino group forms three fixed-angle positions, each separated by 120°. Our findings contribute to the understanding of electrical phenomena in organic–inorganic hybrid materials and may be used for the design of future molecule-based electronic materials.