Green Materials and Technologies for Sustainable Organic Transistors

Abstract

Intelligent objects, autonomous factories and humans browsing the real world with artificial technology‐based capabilities is not the movie set of a new saga but what is going to happen with next‐generation electronics and bioelectronics fabricated with emerging materials, technologies, and devices. The emergence of (bio)electronics as a ubiquitous feature of an advanced modern society is posing the challenge of managing an ever‐increasing amount of e‐waste, also making the recovery more and more difficult. Thus, new design approaches are required considering that a possibly small but significant fraction of mass‐scale e‐products is inherently impossible to recover. In this perspective, organic materials and technologies can provide important solutions. This review presents and analyses green materials and technologies underpinning the development of sustainable organic transistors, which promise to become key components for Earth‐safe wide‐spread electronics and bioelectronics.

MOF‐Based Sustainable Memory Devices

“…Surprisingly, the composition of MOFs (Figure 1c), to some extent, allows us to classify them as “green” materials, [ 127,128 ] which play a key role in the operation of recyclable microelectronic and energy devices. [ 4 ] Comparing the sustainability of MOFs and widely used inorganic materials (Section 5.2) for memory devices, we conclude that the utilization of MOFs as an active layer in such devices sufficiently minimizes environmental and political risks (Figure 13).…”

“…[120][121][122] To our opinion, further development will be focused on increasing the rate of switching via utilizing fast stimuli (light, [37] electric, [123] or magnetic [124] pulses), downscaling the area of switching toward TBytes per in 2 , [125] as well as integrating stimuliresponsive MOF films with existing flexible microelectronic devices including transparent electronics. [126] Surprisingly, the composition of MOFs (Figure 1c), to some extent, allows us to classify them as "green" materials, [127,128] which play a key role in the operation of recyclable microelectronic and energy devices. [4] Comparing the sustainability of MOFs and widely used inorganic materials (Section 5.2) for memory devices, we conclude that the utilization of MOFs as an active layer in such devices sufficiently minimizes environmental and political risks (Figure 13).…”

High‐Performance Bioelectronic Circuits Integrated on Biodegradable and Compostable Substrates with Fully Printed Mask‐Less Organic Electrochemical Transistors

“…The substrate is the most relevant component in terms of materials used for organic transistor fabrication, as it represents >99.5% of the total material weight. [46][47][48] Therefore, the development of OECT electronics and bioelectronics on biodegradable or even compostable substrates by adopting low-energy and additive techniques that minimize the material waste, also during the fabrication process, is highly desired. Focusing on biocompatible and biodegradable devices for electrocardiogram recordings, very recently Kim and co-workers demonstrated solid-state electrolyte-based p-type organic transistors.…”

Why PEDOT:PSS Should Not Be Used for Raman Sensing of Redox States (and How It Could Be)

“…5,6 In addition, recently-developed strategies improved its biodegradability, making PEDOT:PSS a promising candidate for green electronics. [7][8][9] PEDOT:PSS is a mixture of two ionomers, PEDOT, which is conductive, and PSS, which is insulating and normally added in excess to make PEDOT soluble in water and suitable for processing in thin-film fabrication, as well as for stabilizing its oxidation state. Unlike most of other conductive polymers, pristine PEDOT is p-doped, since its synthesis proceeds through the oxidative polymerization of 3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomers, achieved by means of the concurrent reduction of Fe 3+ -based salts.…”