Ionic-electronic Properties of PEDOT-functionalized Peptoid Nanosheets

Next generation of electronics will seamlessly integrate with biological tissue. Some of these advancements are made possible due to conjugated polymers, materials that exhibit electronic conductivity and offer mechanical flexibility, biocompatibility, and aqueous solubility. To leverage these properties, efforts have also been devoted to improving device engineering in OECTs (organic electrochemical transistors), devices that transduce biological activities into electrical signals, and relies on the use of conjugated polymers. One ubiquitous conjugated polymer is PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate). Although significant strides have been achieved with the use of PEDOT:PSS, its ordering and morphology is not well defined, thereby limiting overall OECT performance.
This project explores the use of peptoid 2D nanosheets as a scaffold to introduce ordering and morphological control to PEDOT. By leveraging peptoid 2D nanosheets assemblies, the effects of ordering and morphology of PEDOT can be systematically investigated to optimize OECT performance. This project represents a unique collaborative research opportunity between material chemists and device engineers between UofT and MIT to advance bioelectronics. We envision that this scaffolding strategy is readily applicable to other conjugated polymers and will offer invaluable insights to guide conjugated polymer designs and broadly impact the development of human-machine interfaces.

Faculty Supervisor:

Helen Tran

Student:

Partner:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program: