Fabrication of biodegradable and flexible transistor arrays

Abstract

In recent years, biopolymers have caught the attention in the organic electronics industry, since they have shown to be biodegradable, nontoxic and environmentally friendly. In this project, the author uses the biopolymer, knows as Lignin, from the woody plant as gate insulator layer of the organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). The Lignin polymer showed good performance for the transient property and flexibility. At 20 Hz low frequency the Lignin dielectric layer displayed above 0.21 µF / cm2 of capacitance value, due to formation of electrical double layer. The OTFTs based on the Poly[(5-fluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-4,7-diyl)(4,4-dihexadecyl-4Hcyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4- b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl)(6-fluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole 4,7-diyl)(4,4-dihexadecyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl)] (PFT-100) as the semiconductor channel and Lignin polymer as the gate dielectric displayed a good saturation mobility that is 0.0085 cm2 / (Vs) at -5 V and -10 V gate bias and -20 V drain voltage. The solubility test also showed in alkaline solution the prepared devices can be decomposed, which has good transient property. The Lignin layer can thus be the part of the transient electrical devices such as the dielectric layer. The development of this project aims to address electronic waste in the world. If natural biopolymers extraction from organisms can be used to fabrication electronic devices, those green electronics can minimum impact on the surrounding environment.