This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Next-generation computing technologies could be one step closer to emulating how neurons respond and communicate with each other, thanks to research examining how electrons and ions move through materials. Among them, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials with potential for advanced electronics.
In a recently published paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Texas A&M University chemical engineering professor Dr. Perla Balbuena and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Alejandro Aviles Sanchez examined the fundamental mechanisms that govern electron and ion transport in these materials.
"This analysis is possible because of advanced computer simulations that allow us to see how individual parts of these materials interact and move, helping us understand how those small-scale behaviors affect the material as a whole," Balbuena said. While the work is fundamental in nature, the findings could help guide the development of future electronics capable of adapting their behavior, including emerging technologies such as neuromorphic devices for the next generation of analog computers. "Our goal was to understand how electrons move through the MOF and how changes in its structure and nearby ions affect that movement," Aviles said.
"The most important result is that ions inside the material can make it easier for electrons to move. This shows that the movement of ions and electrons is closely connected." MOFs are tiny three-dimensional networks made of metal centers connected by organic molecules, known as linkers. Their unique structures give them a range of chemical and electronic properties.
While some MOFs can conduct electricity, scientists do not yet fully understand how charge moves through these materials. In the MOF studied in the research, conductivity changes as electrons are added. Balbuena's team wanted to understand the microscopic mechanism behind this behavior and how the movement of electrons is influenced by the surrounding ions and structure.
The team examined a zinc-based MOF containing organic linkers. Through simulations, they found that electrons move through the material by "hopping" between specific sites on the linkers, rather than moving freely throughout the entire structure. The findings can help researchers better understand the potential of MOFs for neuromorphic computing, an approach inspired by how the brain processes and stores information.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
