Influence of ligand field stabilization energy on the elastic properties of multiferroic MOFs with the perovskite architecture.

We report the mechanical properties of four isostructural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that adopt the ABX(3) perovskite topology: [(CH(3))(2)NH(2)]M(HCOO)(3), where M = divalent Mn, Co, Ni, and Zn. Their Young's moduli were measured via single-crystal nanoindentation. We show that the mechanical stability of such isostructural frameworks with octahedral coordination increases with greater ligand field stabilization energy (LFSE).