Switchable Dielectric Behavior and Order-Disorder Phase Transition in a New Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Compound: (CH3NH3)4[InCl6]Cl

Graphical The new organic-inorganic hybrid compound (CH 3 NH 3 ) 4 [InCl 6 ]Cl has been successfully synthesized by reaction of methylammonium with indium(III) chloride tetrahydrate. It undergoes a first-order phase transition accompanied with an obvious step-like dielectric switching. A new organic-inorganic phase transition material (CH 3 NH 3 ) 4 [InCl 6 ]Cl ( 1 ), has been successfully synthesized and characterized. The compound undergoes a reversible first-order phase transition at Curie temperature Tc=284 K, accompanied with a wide hysteresis of 12 K, which investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The temperature dependence of the dielectric permittivity discloses an obvious step-like dielectric anomaly. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that the order-disorder transition of the [InCl 6 ] 3– anion and the methylammonium cation were the main factor drove the phase transition from high temperature phase with the space group P 2/ m to low temperature phase with the space group P 2/ n . This finding indicates that In-based organic–inorganic hybrids compounds can be used to build phase transition materials, which broaden the way for exploring dielectric switching materials.