FWO WEAVE

Understanding Electronic – Ionic Interactions for High-Performance and Stable Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Polymeric semiconductors which support both electronic and ionic transport are exploited in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), where ion migration into the semiconductor channel results in a modification of its electrical conductivity. Materials for OECTs should therefore be designed to afford an efficient introduction of mobile charge carriers by the ions as well as a high electronic charge carrier mobility. Furthermore, side reactions during the operation of OECTs should be avoided as these can result in device degradation. As these critical electronic and ionic interactions within the semiconducting polymer channel are currently poorly understood, the objective of this project is to establish robust structure-property relationships for conjugated polymers with mixed ionic and electronic conduction and to use these insights to synthesize a new generation of high-performance OECT materials. Dedicated materials synthesis and device characterization are combined with spectroscopic techniques spanning an impressive range of timescales, enabling us to follow the nanosecond to second processes governing OECT operation, as well as the degradation mechanisms occurring on a timescale of hours to days, in detail. The project addresses important scientific challenges such as understanding electron transfer, interfacial processes, and ion-electron interactions, reaching beyond the field of organic electronics and leaving a broad impact on materials science and electronics.

Project lead:

• Prof. Koen Vandewal, UHasselt (imo-imomec)

Project partners:

• UBern (Prof. Natalie Banerji)