Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IONBIKE (IONGELS: FROM NEW CHEMISTRY TOWARD EMERGING APPLICATIONS)
Période du rapport: 2021-01-01 au 2023-12-31
IONBIKE RISE partnership coordinated by POLYMAT-University of the Basque Country put together 4 European beneficiaries (3 academic and 1 industry) and 5 non- European academic partners aiming to fully develop the chemistry and applications of innovative iongels for
bioelectronics. The development of this topic needed the synergic participation of researchers with different expertises such as bio-ionic liquids, polymers, gels, advanced characterization, electrochemistry, biology as well as applications experts in bioelectronic devices such as implantable electrodes for electrophysiology, batteries and organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). IONBIKE objective's were achieved through research and innovation staff exchanges and sharing of knowledge and ideas from research to market among the different institutions.
The results obtained are summarized in the next bullet points:
• Synthesis and selection of components for innovative iongels such as bio-ionic liquids, deep-eutectic solvents, poly(ionic liquid)s, biodegradable polymers, functional biopolymers, semi-conjugated polymers and PEDOTs.
• Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable and/or biocompatible iongels.
• Synthesis of iongels endowed with mixed ionic-electronic conductivity by combining into a gel (semi)conjugated conducting polymers and ionic liquids.
• Structural, thermal, mechanical, morphological and functional (i.e. ionic conductivity, electronic conductivity) characterization of the new iongels.
• Processing of innovative iongels using advanced methods such as large scale printing, 3D printing and coating methods.
• Better understanding of the relationship between molecular composition/macromolecular structure, functionality and biodegradability of iongels.
• Application of iongels in bioelectronic devices for health and fitness, particularly in electrodes for electrophysiological recordings, long-lasting cutaneous electrophysiology, electroencephalography and heart-monitoring and other applications such as batteries, water purification or corrosion protection.
• Investigate the use of biodegradable iongels in bioelectronics devices such as organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs).
The IONBIKE consortium carried out more than 80% of the planned secondments, organised several training courses, conferences and the proposed networking events (e.g. BioEl2019 in UK, Asilomar Bioelectronics Symposium 2020 in USA, SLAP Latinamerican Symposium of Polymers 2022 in Spain, the Workshop on Organic semiconductors and flexible electronics 2022 in KAUST and BPC2022 Bordeaux Polymer Conference in France. Consortium partners have actively participated to several scientific community and public outreach dissemination activities. The originality of the new materials have made the dissemination activities (number and quality of scientific articles, presentations in conferences) to be high.
Project activities were widely communicated through the webpage and social networks of the project.
- related to the materials development: a non-exhaustive list of materials progresses include innovative iongels combining biocompatibility, biodegradability and excellent ion and electronic conducting properties based on new biodegradable polymers, functional biopolymers, semi-conjugated polymers and PEDOTs.
- related to the applications of the iongels and its processing in bioelectronic devices: the final goal focused in the development of new devices using the disruptive iongel materials developed within the project. An important part of the efforts were related to the additive manufacturing 3D printing and process ability of the materials as well as its characterization.
IONBIKE RISE succeeded in the development of innovative bioelectronic devices for health and fitness monitoring such as long-lasting electrodes for electrophysiological recordings for brain, heart and muscular activity or new all-solid organic electrochemical transitors.