Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BioResORGEL (Bioresorbable Organic Electronic Devices)
Période du rapport: 2021-08-20 au 2023-08-19
The aim of the BioResOrgel project was to develop materials and devices that provide stable operation as required for applications and that completely resorb in the body after service life. Bioresorbable materials have the potential to provide a new stream of electronic devices that completely degrade after having completed their function, thereby advancing applications, such as temporary medical implants and consumers electronics. The research was carried out at the Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH) under the supervision of Professor Anna Herland.
Another research direction arising from materials considerations focused on improving device performance and stability while minimizing the amount of conjugated polymer, thereby providing cheaper materials without compromising device performance. I found that diluting certain types of organic semiconductors with a host-insulating polymer increases device overall current and stability upon repeated ON/OFF cycles. The new materials open up vast opportunities towards low-cost bioelectronics.
In collaboration with the group of A. F. Wistrand and T. Fuoco, I have developed and characterized films made of poly(trimethylene carbonate). Project results have shown that the material can be used to generate crosslinked thin films that are insoluble in water, yet can be degraded by the action of enzymes such as lipase and esterase. These materials are promising alternatives to replace non-degradable substrates in electronic devices.
I furthermore delved into critical issues for the microfabrication of bioelectronic devices. Current device microfabrication strategies rely on photolithography. These processes are time consuming and challenging to implement for the realization of bioresorbable electronics, where materials are generally prone to decompose in harsh conditions (e.g. organic solvents, high temperatures, etc.). We have implemented a new process for the cleanroom-free patterning of organic electronic devices. This process, relying on direct laser writing, has been validated for the patterning of biosensors and amplifying circuits. I foresee that such method will solve critical issues in the fast prototyping of bioelectronics devices.
The research conducted within the BioResOrgel project has been presented at a number of national and international conferences. Two peer-reviewed journal articles have already been published. A patent and two manuscripts have been submitted. I moreover participated to a number of outreach activities to disseminate project results. Such activities will continue past the project end date, as a new patent application is under development.