Tuning the ferroelectric polarization in a multiferroic metal-organic framework.

We perform density functional theory calculations on a recently synthesized metal-organic framework (MOF) with a perovskite-like topology ABX3, i.e., [CH3CH2NH3]Mn(HCOO)3, and predict a multiferroic behavior, i.e., a coexistence of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism. A peculiar canted ordering of the organic A-cation dipole moments gives rise to a ferroelectric polarization of ~2 μC/cm(2). Starting from these findings, we show that by choosing different organic A cations, it is possible to tune the ferroelectric polarization and increase it up to 6 μC/cm(2). The possibility of changing the magnitude and/or the canting of the organic molecular dipole opens new routes toward engineering ferroelectric polarization in the new class of multiferroic metal-organic frameworks.