Solution-processed nickel oxide passivation on large-area silicon electrodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a promising technology for converting solar energy into chemical energy. For this system to be practically viable, the materials and processes employed for photoelectrode fabrication should be cost-effective and scalable. Herein, we report the large-scale fabrication of nickel oxide-coated n-type silicon (n-Si) photoanodes chemical bath deposition for efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation.

Ultraflexible Vertical Corbino Organic Electrochemical Transistors for Epidermal Signal Monitoring.

Skin-conformal organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have attracted significant attention for real-time physiological signal monitoring and are vital for health diagnostics and treatments. However, mechanical harmonization amid the inherent dynamic nature of the skin surface and the acquisition of intrinsic physiological signals are significant challenges that hinder the integration of the ultimate skin interface. Thus, this study proposes a novel 4-terminal (4-T) vertical Corbino OECT, exhibiting high transconductance (>400 mS) and offering remarkable resilience and operational stability at an extremely low voltage of 10 mV (1.

The Influence of Regiochemistry on the Performance of Organic Mixed Ionic and Electronic Conductors.

Thiophenes functionalised in the 3-position are ubiquitous building blocks for the design and synthesis of organic semiconductors. Their non-centrosymmetric nature has long been used as a powerful synthetic design tool exemplified by the vastly different properties of regiorandom and regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) owing to the repulsive head-to-head interactions between neighbouring side chains in the regiorandom polymer. The renewed interest in highly electron-rich 3-alkoxythiophene based polymers for bioelectronic applications opens up new considerations around the regiochemistry of these systems as both the head-to-tail and head-to-head couplings adopt near-planar conformations due to attractive intramolecular S-O interactions.

Unveiling the Potential of Pt Nanoparticle-Decorated PEDOT:PSS Membranes for Efficient Gas Separation.

In the dynamic landscape of industrial processes, membrane technology offers a paradigm shift beyond energy-intensive separation techniques, exemplifying a progressive leap toward sustainability. In this regard, highly flexible and uniform poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)-engineered membranes at a reduced thickness have been fabricated on track-etched poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates. The membranes were functionalized and embedded with platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) having a higher affinity toward H gas.

Synthesis of Superabsorbent Hydrogels with Predefined Geometries and Controlled Swelling Properties for Versatile 3D Cell Culture Scaffolds.

This research presents a simple but general method to prepare water-soluble-polymer-based superabsorbent hydrogels with predefined microscale geometries and controlled swelling properties. Unlike conventional hydrogel preparation methods based on bulk solution-phase cross-linking, poly(vinyl alcohol) is homogeneously mixed with polymer-based cross-linkers in the solution phase and thermally cross-linked in the solid phase after drying; the degree of cross-linking is modulated by controlling the cross-linker concentration, pH, and/or thermal annealing conditions. After the shape definition process, cross-linked films or electrospun nanofibers are treated with sulfuric acid to weaken hydrogen bonds and introduce sulfate functionality in polymer crystallites.

Peculiar transient behaviors of organic electrochemical transistors governed by ion injection directionality.

Despite the growing interest in dynamic behaviors at the frequency domain, there exist very few studies on molecular orientation-dependent transient responses of organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors. In this research, we investigated the effect of ion injection directionality on transient electrochemical transistor behaviors by developing a model mixed conductor system. Two polymers with similar electrical, ionic, and electrochemical characteristics but distinct backbone planarities and molecular orientations were successfully synthesized by varying the co-monomer unit (2,2'-bithiophene or phenylene) in conjunction with a novel 1,4-dithienylphenylene-based monomer.

High-Performance Organic Electrochemical Transistors Achieved by Optimizing Structural and Energetic Ordering of Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Polymers.

For optimizing steady-state performance in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), both molecular design and structural alignment approaches must work in tandem to minimize energetic and microstructural disorders in polymeric mixed ionic-electronic conductor films. Herein, a series of poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole)s bearing various lengths of aliphatic-glycol hybrid side chains (PDPP-mEG; m = 2-5) is developed to achieve high-performance p-type OECTs. PDPP-4EG polymer with the optimized length of side chains exhibits excellent crystallinity owing to enhanced lamellar and backbone interactions.

One-step wet-spinning of conducting polymer and cellulose nanofiber composites for fiber-type organic electrochemical transistors.

Considering that textile-based sensors are suitable for monitoring/communicating human vital health information, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are considered as an efficient device platform for augmenting the capabilities and effectiveness of smart textile applications in diverse areas. Herein, we investigated the fabrication process and properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)-TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (CNF) composites as active channel materials for fiber-type OECTs. Utilizing highly crystalline, mechanically rigid, and chemically robust CNFs directly extracted from biomass-derived tunicate, we fabricated PEDOT:PSS-CNF composite fibers with varying CNF portions (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 %) through a simple one-step wet-spinning process using sulfuric acid-based coagulation media.

ZIF-8 @polycarbonate nanocomposite membranes for improved permeability and selectivity for hydrogen gas.

Through this work, we are reporting high-performance ZIF-8 @polycarbonate nanocomposite membranes with satisfactory structural stability for improving the gas separation performance. ZIF-8 nanoparticles were synthesised using the wet chemical route with cubic morphology and controlled size using CTAB as a surfactant. The membranes were prepared using the solution casting method by adding ZIF-8 filler at various concentrations.

The Influence of Regiochemistry on the Performance of Organic Mixed Ionic and Electronic Conductors.

Thiophenes functionalised in the 3-position are ubiquitous building blocks for the design and synthesis of organic semiconductors. Their non-centrosymmetric nature has long been used as a powerful synthetic design tool exemplified by the vastly different properties of regiorandom and regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) owing to the repulsive head-to-head interactions between neighbouring side chains in the regiorandom polymer. The renewed interest in highly electron-rich 3-alkoxythiophene based polymers for bioelectronic applications opens up new considerations around the regiochemistry of these systems as both the head-to-tail and head-to-head couplings adopt near-planar conformations due to attractive intramolecular S-O interactions.

Enhanced Organic Electrochemical Transistor Performance of Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Polymers Modified with Hybrid Glycol/Ionic Side Chains by Postpolymerization Modification.

Emergent bioelectronic technologies are underpinned by the organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), which employs an electrolyte medium to modulate the conductivity of its organic semiconductor channel. Here we utilize postpolymerization modification (PPM) on a conjugated polymer backbone to directly introduce glycolated or anionic side chains via fluoride displacement. The resulting polymers demonstrated increased volumetric capacitances, with subdued swelling, compared to their parent polymer in -type enhancement mode OECTs.

Aqueous electrolyte-gated solution-processed metal oxide transistors for direct cellular interfaces.

Biocompatible field-effect-transistor-based biosensors have drawn attention for the development of next-generation human-friendly electronics. High-performance electronic devices must achieve low-voltage operation, long-term operational stability, and biocompatibility. Herein, we propose an electrolyte-gated thin-film transistor made of large-area solution-processed indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) semiconductors capable of directly interacting with live cells at physiological conditions.

Instant formation of horizontally ordered nanofibrous hydrogel films and direct investigation of peculiar neuronal cell behaviors atop.

Background: Hydrogels have been widely used in many research fields owing to optical transparency, good biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, etc. Unlike typical hydrogels in the form of an unstructured bulk material, we developed aqueous dispersions of fiber-shaped hydrogel structures with high stability under ambient conditions and their application to various types of transparent soft cell culture interfaces with anisotropic nanoscale topography.

Method: Nanofibers based on the polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylic acid mixture were prepared by electrospinning and hydrogelified to nano-fibrous hydrogels (nFHs) after thermal crosslinking and sulfuric acid treatment.

High-Current-Density Organic Electrochemical Diodes Enabled by Asymmetric Active Layer Design.

Owing to their outstanding electrical/electrochemical performance, operational stability, mechanical flexibility, and decent biocompatibility, organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors have shown great potential as implantable electrodes for neural recording/stimulation and as active channels for signal switching/amplifying transistors. Nonetheless, no studies exist on a general design rule for high-performance electrochemical diodes, which are essential for highly functional circuit architectures. In this work, generalizable electrochemical diodes with a very high current density over 30 kA cm are designed by introducing an asymmetric active layer based on organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors.

Influence of Backbone Curvature on the Organic Electrochemical Transistor Performance of Glycolated Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Polymers.

Two new glycolated semiconducting polymers PgBT(F)2gT and PgBT(F)2gTT of differing backbone curvatures were designed and synthesised for application as p-type accumulation mode organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) materials. Both polymers demonstrated stable and reversible oxidation, accessible within the aqueous electrochemical window, to generate polaronic charge carriers. OECTs fabricated from PgBT(F)2gT featuring a curved backbone geometry attained a higher volumetric capacitance of 170 F cm .

Microplastic particles in the aquatic environment: A systematic review.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become one of the most severe environmental concerns today. MPs persist in the environment and cause adverse effects in organisms. This review aims to present a state-of-the-art overview of MPs in the aquatic environment.

Strain-Engineering Induced Anisotropic Crystallite Orientation and Maximized Carrier Mobility for High-Performance Microfiber-Based Organic Bioelectronic Devices.

Despite the importance of carrier mobility, recent research efforts have been mainly focused on the improvement of volumetric capacitance in order to maximize the figure-of-merit, μC* (product of carrier mobility and volumetric capacitance), for high-performance organic electrochemical transistors. Herein, high-performance microfiber-based organic electrochemical transistors with unprecedentedly large μC* using highly ordered crystalline poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) microfibers with very high carrier mobilities are reported. The strain engineering via uniaxial tension is employed in combination with solvent-mediated crystallization in the course of drying coagulated fibers, resulting in the permanent preferential alignment of crystalline PEDOT:PSS domains along the fiber direction, which is verified by atomic force microscopy and transmission wide-angle X-ray scattering.

Rapid and Reliable Formation of Highly Densified Bilayer Oxide Dielectrics on Silicon Substrates via DUV Photoactivation for Low-Voltage Solution-Processed Oxide Thin-Film Transistors.

In this research, we report the rapid and reliable formation of high-performance nanoscale bilayer oxide dielectrics on silicon substrates via low-temperature deep ultraviolet (DUV) photoactivation. The optical analysis of sol-gel aluminum oxide films prepared at various concentrations reveals the processable film thickness with DUV photoactivation and its possible generalization to the formation of various metal oxide films on silicon substrates. The physicochemical and electrical characterizations confirm that DUV photoactivation accelerates the efficient formation of a highly dense aluminum oxide and aluminum silicate bilayer (17 nm) on heavily doped silicon at 150 °C within 5 min owing to the efficient thermal conduction on silicon, resulting in excellent dielectric properties in terms of low leakage current (∼10 A/cm at 1.

Helicity Modulation Improves the Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptoids.

The modulation of conformational flexibility in antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been investigated as a strategy to improve their efficacy against bacterial pathogens while reducing their toxicity. Here, we synthesized a library of helicity-modulated antimicrobial peptoids by the position-specific incorporation of helix-inducing monomers. The peptoids displayed minimal variations in hydrophobicity, which permitted the specific assessment of the effect of conformational differences on antimicrobial activity and selectivity.

Designing Polymeric Mixed Conductors and Their Application to Electrochemical-Transistor-Based Biosensors.

Organic electrochemical transistors that employ polymeric mixed conductors as their active channels are one of the most prominent biosensor platforms because of their signal amplification capability, low fabrication cost, mechanical flexibility, and various properties tunable through molecular design. For application to biomedical devices, polymeric mixed conductors should fulfill several requirements, such as excellent conductivities of both holes/electrons and ions, long-term operation stability, and decent biocompatibility. However, trade-offs may exist, for instance, one between ionic conduction and overall device stability.

All-Polymer Conducting Fibers and 3D Prints via Melt Processing and Templated Polymerization.

Because of their attractive mechanical properties, conducting polymers are widely perceived as materials of choice for wearable electronics and electronic textiles. However, most state-of-the-art conducting polymers contain harmful dopants and are only processable from solution but not in bulk, restricting the design possibilities for applications that require conducting micro-to-millimeter scale structures, such as textile fibers or thermoelectric modules. In this work, we present a strategy based on melt processing that enables the fabrication of nonhazardous, all-polymer conducting bulk structures composed of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymerized within a Nafion template.

Human sweat monitoring using polymer-based fiber.

Lightweight nano/microscale wearable devices that are directly attached to or worn on the human body require enhanced flexibility so that they can facilitate body movement and overall improved wearability. In the present study, a flexible poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) fiber-based sensor is proposed, which can accurately measure the amount of salt (i.e.