Otitodilichukwu Chukwuka
MIT Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Prof. Aristide Gumyusenge
Research Supervisor: Arghya Roy, Geon Gug Yang
Undergraduate Institution: University of Southern Mississippi
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Website: LinkedIn
Biography
Otito Chukwuka is a junior at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) majoring in Polymer Science and Engineering. Originally from Nigeria, Otito is driven by a passion for developing technologies to address global energy and healthcare challenges. Consequently, these goals have guided his research experiences. At the Xiaodan Gu Polymer Physics Research Lab at USM, Otito’s research focuses on enhancing the thermal stability of flexible conducting polymers for organic photovoltaics. This summer, he interns at MIT’s Materials Science Department under Prof. Aristide Gumyusenge, studying the impact of charged side chains on ion uptake in Organic Electrochemical Transistors. These devices could play a huge role in invasive sensors for precision medicine. Looking ahead, Otito aims to pursue a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, specializing in flexible electronics. His ultimate goal is to establish a startup that accelerates the integration of flexible electronics in healthcare or energy sectors.
Abstract
The Effect of Charged Side Chains on Device Performance, Film Morphology and Redox Activity of Organic Electrochemical Transistors
Otitodilichukwu Chukwuka1, Arghyamalya Roy2, Aristide Gumyusenge2
1Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi
2Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
The demand for personalized healthcare drives innovations in wearable sensors, essential for transforming health monitoring with soft, flexible, and biocompatible devices. Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs) are promising for wearables due to their biocompatibility and ability to sense electrolytic body fluids. However, current OECTs encounter challenges in the doping process, such as inadequate electrolyte uptake by the channel. Our research aims to tackle these limitations by integrating charged side chains into the semiconducting layer. We hypothesize that the charged side chains will enhance ion uptake through increased hydrophilicity. Additionally, we expect the charged side chains to balance internal charges, allowing more effective ion doping and enhancing redox activity, thereby improving efficiency and electron generation. Understanding film morphology is also crucial; we seek to identify charged side chain configurations that maximize ion uptake while ensuring optimal charge carrier mobility. This approach aims to optimize the trade-off between volumetric capacitance and charge carrier mobility often encountered in OECTs. Our study focuses on a PFN-Br channel, featuring charged side chains, and compares its performance against PFN-DOF, which lacks such chains, to assess performance. This research promises significant advancements in OECT performance, paving the way for enhanced healthcare applications through flexible, efficient, and precise sensing devices.
