Many organic electronic and bioelectronics devices rely on mixed (electronic and ionic) transport within a single organic layer. Although electronic transport in these materials is relatively well understood, a fundamental understanding of ion transport is missing. I developed a simple analytical model that describes ion transport in a planar junction between an electrolyte and a conducting polymer film. The model leads to predictions of the temporal evolution of drift length of ions and current. These predictions are validated by numerical simulations and by using realistic parameters, I show that the analytical model can be used to obtain the ion mobility in the film. Furthermore, I developed an experimental method which allows the application of the analytical model and leads to a straightforward estimation of the ion drift mobilities in conducting polymers. PEDOT:PSS was found to support efficient transport of common ions, consistent with extensive swelling of the film in water. Crosslinking the film decreased its swelling and the ion mobility. Understanding the high correlation of hydration and ionic conductivity enables us to engineer materials with high and defined ion mobilities. As an example tuning of ion mobility by adjusting the relative ratio of the hydroscopic phase to PEDOT:TOS is presented. Finally I performed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy during a moving front experiment, in order to give a physical interpretation of the impedance spectra at a conducting polymer/electrolyte junction.

De nombreux dispositifs pour l’électronique organique et la bioélectronique reposent sur le transport mixte (électronique et ionique).Le transport électronique dans les matériaux organique est relativement bien compris, mais une compréhension fondamentale du transport des ions est manquante. J'ai développé un modèle analytique qui décrit le transport d'ions dans une jonction planaire entre un électrolyte et un film de polymère conducteur.Le modèle permet des prédictions de l'évolution temporelle du courant et du drift length des ions.Ces prédictions sont validées par des simulations numériques et en utilisant des paramètres réalistes, je montre que le modèle analytique peut être utilisé pour obtenir la mobilité des ions dans le film. De plus, j'ai développé une méthode expérimentale qui permet l'application du modèle analytique et conduit à une estimation de la mobilité des ions dans les polymères conducteurs. Le PEDOT:PSS offre un transport efficace pour les ions, qui peut être mis en relation avec le gonflement important du film dans l'eau. Je montre que la réticulation du film diminue son gonflement ainsi que la mobilité des ions. Comprendre la forte corrélation entre l'hydratation et la conductivité ionique nous permet de développer des matériaux à mobilité ionique définie et importante. A titre d'exemple, le réglage de la mobilité ionique du PEDOT:TOS est présenté en ajustant le rapport relatif de la phase hygroscopique. Pour finir, j'ai effectué des mesures de spectroscopie d'impédance électrochimique au cours d'une expérience de moving front, afin de proposer une interprétation physique des spectres d'impédance mesurés à une jonction polymère conducteur/électrolyte / Many organic electronic and bioelectronics devices rely on mixed (electronic and ionic) transport within a single organic layer. Although electronic transport in these materials is relatively well understood, a fundamental understanding of ion transport is missing. I developed a simple analytical model that describes ion transport in a planar junction between an electrolyte and a conducting polymer film. The model leads to predictions of the temporal evolution of drift length of ions and current. These predictions are validated by numerical simulations and by using realistic parameters, I show that the analytical model can be used to obtain the ion mobility in the film. Furthermore, I developed an experimental method which allows the application of the analytical model and leads to a straightforward estimation of the ion drift mobilities in conducting polymers. PEDOT:PSS was found to support efficient transport of common ions, consistent with extensive swelling of the film in water. Crosslinking the film decreased its swelling and the ion mobility. Understanding the high correlation of hydration and ionic conductivity enables us to engineer materials with high and defined ion mobilities. As an example tuning of ion mobility by adjusting the relative ratio of the hydroscopic phase to PEDOT:TOS is presented. Finally I performed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy during a moving front experiment, in order to give a physical interpretation of the impedance spectra at a conducting polymer/electrolyte junction.

This thesis focuses on the characterization of PEDOT:DBSA, a new semiconducting polymer for use in bioelectronic devices. It also deals with possibilities of surface treatment in order to enhance its biocompatibility and stability in aqueous environments. For this purpose, the organic polymer films were crosslinked with two crosslinking agents – GOPS and DVS. The ability of these agents to prevent leaching of some fractions of the polymer films in an aqueous environment and the ability to bind polymer molecules to each other as well as to the glass substrate was studied using the delamination test. Subsequently, the effects of these crosslinking agents on the film properties essential for the proper functions of bioelectronics made of these materials, was studied by contact angle measurements and four-point probes respectively. Moreover, several OECTs were prepared using original and crosslinked material as an active layer and were characterized by measuring transconductance and volumetric capacitance. PEDOT:DBSA has been shown to be a suitable material for use in bioelectronics, but its thin layers need to be stabilized in an aqueous environment. The agent DVS appears to be unsuitable for this purpose, mainly due to its insufficient film stabilization and its increased hydrophilicity of the film surface, thus increased tendency to interact with water, resulting in degradation of these thin layers. In contrast, GOPS, despite some reduction in film conductivity, has been able to stabilize the polymer layer over the long term, and thus appears to be a suitable way to stabilize PEDOT:DBSA.

Organic bioelectronics develops electronic devices at the interface with living systems using organic electronic materials. These devices can identify various chemical species and regulate the operation of individual cells, tissues, or organs. A famous organic bioelectronic device is the organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), a highly versatile circuit component that has been used in applications spanning from biosensing to neuromorphic computing. OECTs can be operated in aqueous electrolytes and use organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs) in their channel (and sometimes as gate electrode coating) that can transport electronic and ionic charges, making them ideal for bridging biological systems and silicon-based electronic devices. Electron-transporting (n-type) OMIEC materials have received particular attention because high-performance n-type OECTs can be used to build inverters, sensors, and complementary amplifiers. However, electron transport in an aqueous and ambient environment under the application of electrical fields is a complex phenomenon that requires in situ investigation techniques. Understanding how films operate in such media can allow to construct novel sensors and eliminate the loss processes. This Ph.D. dissertation focuses on the impact of the environment, specifically oxygen, and light, on the performance of n-type OECTs and shows how to use this knowledge to develop OECT-based glucose sensors and photodetectors. Chapter 1 introduces the mixed charge transport phenomenon in conjugated polymers and how to use it in OECT operation. OECT fabrication and various designs are described, setting the ground for the sensors we will show in the following chapters. The experimental procedures used to evaluate the critical figures of merit of the materials and the transistor performance are described in detail. Chapter 2 introduces how OECTs can be used to transduce biochemical binding events. When employing the OECT platform for biochemical sensing, it is essential to differentiate between the faradaic, capacitive, and potentiometric contributions to the sensor response. Understanding the underlying mechanisms is critical for optimizing performance. This chapter explains these different sensing mechanisms with literature examples. Chapter 3 compiles all experimental details relevant to the investigations presented in Chapters 4 and 5. Chapter 4 investigates the working mechanism of a novel n-type OECT-based glucose sensor relying on an enzymatic reaction. This chapter shows the oxygen reaction reactions and the importance of monitoring contact potentials during device operation to understand how detection occurs. The work unveils the role of the oxygen sensitivity of the n-type material on the sensor operation and suggests paths to improve performance. Chapter 5 explores the interactions of light with n-type OMIECs and how to utilize them to build water-compatible phototransistors. The first part of the chapter involves a characterization of the light/matter interplay of an n-type film and a demonstration of how to use it to build a photoelectrochemical transistor. The second part of the chapter expands this work to other n-type materials and assesses their light sensitivity, building a relationship between material property and device performance. Since most detection events lead to a change in the surface of materials, techniques that monitor surface roughness and profile changes in situ can be useful. Chapter 6 describes an atomic force microscopy (AFM) setup that can be used to investigate binding events and electrochemical doping and de-doping dynamics of OMIEC films. This chapter is intended to assist researchers in developing in-operando AFM procedures studying OMIEC films.

L’épithélium intestinal est un exemple de tissu qui a évolué pour former une barrière. Cette barrière limite le passage de produits toxiques d’agents pathogènes à partir de la lumière vers les tissus, tout en absorbant les nutriments, électrolytes et l'eau nécessaire à l'hôte. Les jonctions serrées sont des structures qui limitent le passage de la matière à travers l'espace intercellulaire. La capacité de mesurer le transport à travers cette barrière est d'une importance capitale car elle fournit des renseignements sur l’état de celle-ci, révélatrice de certains états pathologiques, puisque la perturbation ou dysfonctionnement des jonctions serrées est souvent due à ou est un indicatif de toxicité ou de maladie. En outre, le degré d'intégrité de la barrière est un indicateur clé de la pertinence d'un modèle in vitro particulier pour une utilisation en toxicologie et screening de médicaments. L'avènement de l'électronique organique a créé une occasion unique pour connecter les mondes de l'électronique et de la biologie, à l'aide des dispositifs tels que le transistor électrochimique organique (OECT), qui fournisse un moyen très sensible pour détecter des courants ioniques. Ces dispositifs ont une sensibilité sans précédent, dans un format qui peut être produit en masse à faible coût.Le but de cette étude était d'intégrer une couche de cellules représentative de la barrière gastro intestinale avec des OECTs, pour créer des dispositifs qui permettent de détecter les perturbations de cette barrière d’une manière rapide et sensible. Cette technique a était démontrée pour être au minimum aussi sensible mais d’une rapidité supérieure que les techniques actuelles sur le marché. / In biological systems, different tissues have evolved to form a barrier. An example is the intestinal epithelium, consisting of a single layer of cells lining the wall of the stomach and colon. It restricts the passage of harmful chemicals or pathogens from the light into the tissue, while selectively absorbing the most nutrients, electrolytes and water are necessary for the host. Tight junctions are structures which limit the passage of the material through the space between the cells. The ability to measure the paracellular and transcellular transport is of vital importance because it provides a wealth of information on the state of the barrier, indicative of certain disease states , since the disruption or malfunction of the structures involved in the transport through the tissue barrier is often caused or is indicative of toxicity or disease. In addition, the degree of integrity of the barrier is a key indicator of the relevance of a particular model in vitro for use in toxicology and drug screening. The advent of organic electronics has created a unique opportunity to connect the worlds of electronics and biology, using devices such as organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), which provides a very sensitive way to detect ionic currents. These devices have unprecedented sensitivity in a format that can be mass produced at low cost.The purpose of this study was to integrate a monolayer of cells representative of the gastro intestinal barrier with OECTs , to create devices that detect disruptions of the barrier in a timely and sensitive manner. This technique was demonstrated to be at least as sensitive, but a higher speed than current techniques on the market

In biological systems, different tissues have evolved to form a barrier. An example is the intestinal epithelium, consisting of a single layer of cells lining the wall of the stomach and colon. It restricts the passage of harmful chemicals or pathogens from the light into the tissue, while selectively absorbing the most nutrients, electrolytes and water are necessary for the host. Tight junctions are structures which limit the passage of the material through the space between the cells. The ability to measure the paracellular and transcellular transport is of vital importance because it provides a wealth of information on the state of the barrier, indicative of certain disease states , since the disruption or malfunction of the structures involved in the transport through the tissue barrier is often caused or is indicative of toxicity or disease. In addition, the degree of integrity of the barrier is a key indicator of the relevance of a particular model in vitro for use in toxicology and drug screening. The advent of organic electronics has created a unique opportunity to connect the worlds of electronics and biology, using devices such as organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), which provides a very sensitive way to detect ionic currents. These devices have unprecedented sensitivity in a format that can be mass produced at low cost.The purpose of this study was to integrate a monolayer of cells representative of the gastro intestinal barrier with OECTs , to create devices that detect disruptions of the barrier in a timely and sensitive manner. This technique was demonstrated to be at least as sensitive, but a higher speed than current techniques on the market

Delivery of biologically relevant ions such as drugs, neurotransmitters and hormones have been recognized as powerful a tool to control physiology of animals and plants for research purposes and practical applications. In the plant research community, ions are most commonly delivered as part of a solvent by soaking, spraying, pipetting or by adding to the soil. These methods have low control of the delivery dynamics and quantity of ion uptake. These issues motivated the development of the Organic Electronic Ion Pump (OEIP), which delivers only ions of interest by applying an external electric field through a polyelectrolyte membrane of high fixed charge concentration. A miniaturized, implantable version of the OEIP based on capillary fibres (c-OEIP), where the polyelectrolyte is enclosed in a capillary, enabled even higher precision of the delivery. In this master thesis, c-OEIP has been applied in the tropical plant Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana, chosen due to its characteristic skill to gradually learn to save water: while maturing it shifts to night time photosynthesis and transpiration, called Constitutive Crassulacean Acid Metabolism. A better understanding of this metabolism and water saving ability could guide engineering of enhanced drought tolerance in crop plants, which is motivated by the increasing global warming. One of the biologically relevant ions that is potentially involved in this water-saving learning process is the malate ions. The aim of this thesis is to test the hypothesis that c-OEIP is able to deliver malate ions to cause a reduction in stomatal conductance and transpiration of intact leaves of Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana. To test this hypothesis, firstly, the capillary-based OEIP were fabricated using polyimide coated glass capillaries filled with AETMAC polyelectrolyte. The ability of these devices to deliver malic acid (MA) was verified by using current-voltage characterisation during loading and delivery of MA. Secondly, the setup for MA delivery with c-OEIP to intact kalanchoe leaf was developed, optimising the insertion method to minimize the wounding of the plant and increase assay reproducibility. Finally, the MA was delivered to intact kalanchoe leaves via c-OEIP, where the plant transpiration response was evaluated using standard gas exchange porometer and also novel infrared camera, as plant temperature can be correlated with plant transpiration status. The results indicate that c-OEIP can deliver MA and trigger reduction of transpiration of young kalanchoe leaves, supporting the hypothesis that malate ions act to reduce stomatal conductance, potentially conveying a feedback message from the mesophyll to the guard cells. / <p>Examensarbetet är utfört vid Institutionen för teknik och naturvetenskap (ITN) vid Tekniska fakulteten, Linköpings universitet</p>