Organic
thin-film transistors (OTFTs) have shown promise for a
range of sensing applications, with phthalocyanine-based OTFTs demonstrated
as sensors for atmospheric parameters, volatile gases, and small organic
molecules including cannabinoids. However, the process of fabricating,
testing, and optimizing OTFTs in a laboratory setting requires highly
specialized equipment, materials, and expertise. To determine if sensor
development can be expedited and thus reduce manufacturing burden,
spectroelectrochemistry is applied to rapidly screen for molecular
interactions between metal-free phthalocyanines and a variety of metal
phthalocyanines (MPcs) and the cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), with and without a cannabinoid-sensitive
chromophore (Fast Blue BB). Spectral analyses are corroborated by
2D-NMR and related to measured OTFT performance. Spectroelectrochemical
changes to the Q band region of the phthalocyanine spectra in the
presence of analytes can be used to predict the response of OTFTs.
Thus, with spectroelectrochemistry, a range of potential materials
for OTFT small organic molecule-sensing applications can be quickly
analyzed, and phthalocyanines with a preferred response can be selected.