Electrolyte-gated transistors fabricated on cellulose-based substrates for sustainable electronics

• Grant number: 23/06645-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: November 03, 2023
• End date: November 02, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Neri Alves
• Grantee: Douglas Henrique Vieira
• Supervisor: Rodrigo Ferrão de Paiva Martins
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/12282-4 - Development of vertical electrolyte-gated field effect transistors for UV photodetectors, BP.DR

Abstract

The search for sustainable alternatives to silicon-based electronics and conventional processes has fostered the investigation of new possibilities for electronic devices, such as transistors based on eco-friendly and abundant nano-scale materials on flexible and conformable substrates. However, devices designed for disposable applications should be easy to recycle and have the lowest possible energy consumption during their manufacturing process, in order to have impact in the CO2 footprint. Therefore, it is crucial that such devices have sustainable characteristics, such as biodegradability and recyclability. This project proposes the sustainable production of transistors using paper as a substrate and very low-cost and low-energy processing techniques, aiming for high mobility parameters and practical circuit applications. Paper is a 100% recyclable material and can be used to manufacture flexible, lightweight, and low-cost devices. The use of paper, cellulose, and related materials is planned, not limiting their function to only a substrate, being they fabricated and utilized also as dielectrics in devices as solid cellulose-based electrolytes and cellulose nanofiber membranes. Transistors utilizing electrolyte, known as electrolyte-gated transistors, exhibit high capacitance due to the formation of an electric double layer. It is worth noting that recent results indicate that the use of a vertical architecture can significantly improve the performance of electrolyte-gated transistors. However, this architecture has not yet been employed on paper or related biodegradable substrates, such as cellulose, and it is precisely this gap that this project aims to explore. The team led by Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Martins at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa e no Centro de Investigação de Materiais (CENIMAT) is internationally recognized as a pioneer and leader in the field of paper-based electronics research, making it the ideal research center to conduct this investigation. This project represents a highly significant contribution as it brings forth a viable alternative to conventional electronics, contributing to the reduction of the growing electronic waste problem. (AU)