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Smith BN, Ballentine P, Doherty JL, Wence R, Hobbie HA, Williams NX, Franklin AD. Aerosol Jet Printing Conductive 3D Microstructures from Graphene Without Post-Processing. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2305170. [PMID: 37946691 PMCID: PMC10960713 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202305170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) graphene microstructures have the potential to boost performance in high-capacity batteries and ultrasensitive sensors. Numerous techniques have been developed to create such structures; however, the methods typically rely on structural supports, and/or lengthy post-print processing, increasing cost and complexity. Additive manufacturing techniques, such as printing, show promise in overcoming these challenges. This study employs aerosol jet printing for creating 3D graphene microstructures using water as the only solvent and without any post-print processing required. The graphene pillars exhibit conductivity immediately after printing, requiring no high-temperature annealing. Furthermore, these pillars are successfully printed in freestanding configurations at angles below 45° relative to the substrate, showcasing their adaptability for tailored applications. When graphene pillars are added to humidity sensors, the additional surface area does not yield a corresponding increase in sensor performance. However, graphene trusses, which add a parallel conduction path to the sensing surface, are found to improve sensitivity nearly 2×, highlighting the advantages of a topologically suspended circuit construction when adding 3D microstructures to sensing electrodes. Overall, incorporating 3D graphene microstructures to sensor electrodes can provide added sensitivity, and aerosol jet printing is a viable path to realizing these conductive microstructures without any post-print processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany N. Smith
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Peter Ballentine
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - James L. Doherty
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ryan Wence
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Hansel Alex Hobbie
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Nicholas X. Williams
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Aaron D. Franklin
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Chemistry Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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2
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Lu S, Smith BN, Meikle H, Therien MJ, Franklin AD. All-Carbon Thin-Film Transistors Using Water-Only Printing. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:2100-2106. [PMID: 36853199 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c04196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Printing thin-film transistors (TFTs) using nanomaterials is a promising approach for future electronics. Yet, most inks rely on environmentally harmful solvents for solubilizing and postprint processing the nanomaterials. In this work, we demonstrate water-only TFTs printed from all-carbon inks of semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs), conducting graphene, and insulating crystalline nanocellulose (CNC). While suspending these nanomaterials into aqueous inks is readily achieved, printing the inks into thin films of sufficient surface coverage and in multilayer stacks to form TFTs has proven elusive without high temperatures, hazardous chemicals, and/or lengthy postprocessing. Using aerosol jet printing, our approach involves a maximum temperature of 70 °C and no hazardous chemicals─all inks are aqueous and only water is used for processing. An intermittent rinsing technique was utilized to address the surface adhesion challenges that limit film density of printed aqueous CNTs. These findings provide promising steps toward an environmentally friendly realization of thin-film electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiheng Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Brittany N Smith
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Hope Meikle
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Michael J Therien
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Aaron D Franklin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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3
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Smith BN, Meikle H, Doherty JL, Lu S, Tutoni G, Becker ML, Therien MJ, Franklin AD. Ionic dielectrics for fully printed carbon nanotube transistors: impact of composition and induced stresses. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:16845-16856. [PMID: 36331392 PMCID: PMC9719746 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr04206a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Printed carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (CNT-TFTs) are candidates for flexible electronics with printability on a wide range of substrates. Among the layers comprising a CNT-TFT, the gate dielectric has proven most difficult to additively print owing to challenges in film uniformity, thickness, and post-processing requirements. Printed ionic dielectrics show promise for addressing these issues and yielding devices that operate at low voltages thanks to their high-capacitance electric double layers. However, the printing of ionic dielectrics in their various compositions is not well understood, nor is the impact of certain stresses on these materials. In this work, we studied three compositionally distinct ionic dielectrics in fully printed CNT-TFTs: the polar-fluorinated polymer elastomer PVDF-HFP; an ion gel consisting of triblock polymer PS-PMMA-PS and ionic liquid EMIM-TFSI; and crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) with a salt concentration of 0.05%. Although ion gel has been thoroughly studied, e-PVDF-HFP and CNC printing are relatively new and this study provides insights into their ink formulation, print processing, and performance as gate dielectrics. Using a consistent aerosol jet printing approach, each ionic dielectric was printed into similar CNT-TFTs, allowing for direct comparison through extensive characterization, including mechanical and electrical stress tests. The ionic dielectrics were found to have distinct operational dependencies based on their compositional and ionic attributes. Overall, the results reveal a number of trade-offs that must be managed when selecting a printable ionic dielectric, with CNC showing the strongest performance for low-voltage operation but the ion gel and elastomer exhibiting better stability under bias and mechanical stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany N Smith
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Hope Meikle
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - James L Doherty
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Shiheng Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Gianna Tutoni
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | | | - Aaron D Franklin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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4
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Macchia E, Torricelli F, Bollella P, Sarcina L, Tricase A, Di Franco C, Österbacka R, Kovács-Vajna ZM, Scamarcio G, Torsi L. Large-Area Interfaces for Single-Molecule Label-free Bioelectronic Detection. Chem Rev 2022; 122:4636-4699. [PMID: 35077645 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bioelectronic transducing surfaces that are nanometric in size have been the main route to detect single molecules. Though enabling the study of rarer events, such methodologies are not suited to assay at concentrations below the nanomolar level. Bioelectronic field-effect-transistors with a wide (μm2-mm2) transducing interface are also assumed to be not suited, because the molecule to be detected is orders of magnitude smaller than the transducing surface. Indeed, it is like seeing changes on the surface of a one-kilometer-wide pond when a droplet of water falls on it. However, it is a fact that a number of large-area transistors have been shown to detect at a limit of detection lower than femtomolar; they are also fast and hence innately suitable for point-of-care applications. This review critically discusses key elements, such as sensing materials, FET-structures, and target molecules that can be selectively assayed. The amplification effects enabling extremely sensitive large-area bioelectronic sensing are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Macchia
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Fabrizio Torricelli
- Dipartimento Ingegneria dell'Informazione, Università degli Studi di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Bollella
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy.,Centre for Colloid and Surface Science - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Lucia Sarcina
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Angelo Tricase
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Cinzia Di Franco
- CNR, Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Sede di Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Ronald Österbacka
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Zsolt M Kovács-Vajna
- Dipartimento Ingegneria dell'Informazione, Università degli Studi di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Gaetano Scamarcio
- CNR, Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Sede di Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy.,Dipartimento Interateneo di Fisica "M. Merlin", Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Luisa Torsi
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland.,Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy.,Centre for Colloid and Surface Science - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125 Bari, Italy
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5
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Kaindl R, Gupta T, Blümel A, Pei S, Hou PX, Du J, Liu C, Patter P, Popovic K, Dergez D, Elibol K, Schafler E, Liu J, Eder D, Kieslinger D, Ren W, Hartmann P, Waldhauser W, Bayer BC. Aerosol Jet Printing of Graphene and Carbon Nanotube Patterns on Realistically Rugged Substrates. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:34301-34313. [PMID: 34963916 PMCID: PMC8697012 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Direct-write additive manufacturing of graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT) patterns by aerosol jet printing (AJP) is promising for the creation of thermal and electrical interconnects in (opto)electronics. In realistic application scenarios, this however often requires deposition of graphene and CNT patterns on rugged substrates such as, for example, roughly machined and surface-oxidized metal block heat sinks. Most AJP of graphene/CNT patterns has thus far however concentrated on flat wafer- or foil-type substrates. Here, we demonstrate AJP of graphene and single walled CNT (SWCNT) patterns on realistically rugged plasma-electrolytic-oxidized (PEO) Al blocks, which are promising heat sink materials. We show that AJP on the rugged substrates offers line resolution of down to ∼40 μm width for single AJP passes, however, at the cost of noncomplete substrate coverage including noncovered μm-sized pores in the PEO Al blocks. With multiple AJP passes, full coverage including coverage of the pores is, however, readily achieved. Comparing archetypical aqueous and organic graphene and SWCNT inks, we show that the choice of the ink system drastically influences the nanocarbon AJP parameter window, deposit microstructure including crystalline quality, compactness of deposit, and inter/intrapass layer adhesion for multiple passes. Simple electrical characterization indicates aqueous graphene inks as the most promising choice for AJP-deposited electrical interconnect applications. Our parameter space screening thereby forms a framework for rational process development for graphene and SWCNT AJP on application-relevant, rugged substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinhard Kaindl
- MATERIALS—Institute
for Surface Technologies and Photonics, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Leobner
Str. 94, A-8712 Niklasdorf, Austria
| | - Tushar Gupta
- Institute
of Materials Chemistry, Technische Universität
Wien (TU Wien), Getreidemarkt
9/165, A-1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Blümel
- MATERIALS—Institute
for Surface Technologies and Photonics, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Franz-Pichler-Str.
30, A-8160 Weiz, Austria
| | - Songfeng Pei
- Shenyang
National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Peng-Xiang Hou
- Shenyang
National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Jinhong Du
- Shenyang
National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Chang Liu
- Shenyang
National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Paul Patter
- MATERIALS—Institute
for Surface Technologies and Photonics, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Franz-Pichler-Str.
30, A-8160 Weiz, Austria
| | - Karl Popovic
- MATERIALS—Institute
for Surface Technologies and Photonics, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Franz-Pichler-Str.
30, A-8160 Weiz, Austria
| | - David Dergez
- ZKW
Elektronik GmbH, Samuel-Morse-Str.
18, A-2700 Wiener
Neustadt, Austria
| | - Kenan Elibol
- Faculty of
Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Erhard Schafler
- Faculty of
Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johan Liu
- Department
of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Electronics Materials and Systems
Laboratory, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 9, Se 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Dominik Eder
- Institute
of Materials Chemistry, Technische Universität
Wien (TU Wien), Getreidemarkt
9/165, A-1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dietmar Kieslinger
- ZKW
Elektronik GmbH, Samuel-Morse-Str.
18, A-2700 Wiener
Neustadt, Austria
| | - Wencai Ren
- Shenyang
National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Paul Hartmann
- MATERIALS—Institute
for Surface Technologies and Photonics, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Leobner
Str. 94, A-8712 Niklasdorf, Austria
- MATERIALS—Institute
for Surface Technologies and Photonics, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Franz-Pichler-Str.
30, A-8160 Weiz, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Waldhauser
- MATERIALS—Institute
for Surface Technologies and Photonics, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Leobner
Str. 94, A-8712 Niklasdorf, Austria
| | - Bernhard C. Bayer
- Institute
of Materials Chemistry, Technische Universität
Wien (TU Wien), Getreidemarkt
9/165, A-1060 Vienna, Austria
- Faculty of
Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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6
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Torricelli F, Adrahtas DZ, Bao Z, Berggren M, Biscarini F, Bonfiglio A, Bortolotti CA, Frisbie CD, Macchia E, Malliaras GG, McCulloch I, Moser M, Nguyen TQ, Owens RM, Salleo A, Spanu A, Torsi L. Electrolyte-gated transistors for enhanced performance bioelectronics. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2021; 1:66. [PMID: 35475166 PMCID: PMC9037952 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-021-00065-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs), capable of transducing biological and biochemical inputs into amplified electronic signals and stably operating in aqueous environments, have emerged as fundamental building blocks in bioelectronics. In this Primer, the different EGT architectures are described with the fundamental mechanisms underpinning their functional operation, providing insight into key experiments including necessary data analysis and validation. Several organic and inorganic materials used in the EGT structures and the different fabrication approaches for an optimal experimental design are presented and compared. The functional bio-layers and/or biosystems integrated into or interfaced to EGTs, including self-organization and self-assembly strategies, are reviewed. Relevant and promising applications are discussed, including two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell monitoring, ultra-sensitive biosensors, electrophysiology, synaptic and neuromorphic bio-interfaces, prosthetics and robotics. Advantages, limitations and possible optimizations are also surveyed. Finally, current issues and future directions for further developments and applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Torricelli
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Demetra Z. Adrahtas
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Zhenan Bao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Magnus Berggren
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Fabio Biscarini
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Center for Translational Neurophysiology of Speech and Communication, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Annalisa Bonfiglio
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Carlo A. Bortolotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - C. Daniel Frisbie
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Eleonora Macchia
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - George G. Malliaras
- Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Iain McCulloch
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Solar Center (KSC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Maximilian Moser
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Thuc-Quyen Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Róisín M. Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alberto Salleo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andrea Spanu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luisa Torsi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
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