Kaitochukwu Chukwuka
MIT Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Prof. Aristide Gumyusenge
Research Supervisor: Geongug Yang, Mujtaba Jebran
Undergraduate Institution: University of Southern Mississippi
Website:
Biography
Kaito Chukwuka is a senior studying Polymer Engineering at the University of SouthernMississippi. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, he’s always moved between worlds: science and art, structure and chaos, the lab and the canvas. His research lives at that intersection, blending materials science, wearable electronics, and expressive design. This summer at MIT, Kaito is working in the Organic Materials for Smart Electronics Lab, where he’s exploring how to improve the stretchability of Organic Electrochemical Transistors using microscale geometric patterning. Along the way, he has learned tools like CAD and finite element modeling, and gained a deeper appreciation for the mechanics of soft, flexible materials. For Kaito, design is never just technical. His background in painting, streetwear, and visual storytelling shapes how he approaches every project. He is building a career that fuses smart materials with cultural meaning, designing tools, spaces, and wearables that speak to both function and feeling.
Abstract
Design and Mechanical Simulation of Flexible Organic Transistors for Bioelectric Applications
Kaitochukwu Chukwuka1, Mujtaba Jebran2, and Aristide Gumyusenge2
1Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi
2Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Organic transistors, particularly Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs) are showing significant potential as next-generation flexible and biointegrated electronics due to their mechanical compliance and low-temperature processability. However, a persistent challenge in their development lies in balancing mechanical stretchability with optimal electronic performance. Traditional organic semiconductors with enhanced π-conjugation exhibit improved charge transport but reduced flexibility due to increased crystallinity. This project aims to address this tradeoff through the simulation-driven design of microscale geometric patterning in the active regions of OFETs and OECTs, thereby enhancing mechanical stretchability while preserving or improving electrochemical function. Using CAD modeling and finite element analysis (FEA), we investigated how patterned architectures influence mechanical deformation and ion-electron transport coupling. Additionally, a comprehensive database of mechanical properties of organic semiconductor materials was developed to support accurate simulation inputs. This integrated design and simulation approach provides insight into the mechanical-electronic interplay in flexible organic transistor systems, informing the development of more robust and high-performing bioelectronic devices.
