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PANDA: a self-driving lab for studying electrodeposited polymer films
Harley Quinn1, Gregory A Robben1, Zhaoyi Zheng1
1Division of Materials Science & Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. brownka@bu.edu.
Materials Horizons
|August 14, 2024
Summary
We developed the Polymer Analysis and Discovery Array (PANDA), an automated system for high-throughput polymer film analysis. This self-driving lab optimizes electrochromic switching in polymer films, accelerating materials discovery.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Automation and Robotics
Background:
- High-throughput characterization is crucial for accelerating polymer film development.
- Automated systems can improve efficiency, reproducibility, and data acquisition in materials science.
- Developing novel polymer films with specific functional properties requires optimized synthesis and characterization methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the Polymer Analysis and Discovery Array (PANDA), a novel automated system for high-throughput electrodeposition and functional characterization of polymer films.
- To validate the PANDA system's performance in terms of accuracy, repeatability, and cross-contamination.
- To demonstrate the system's capability in optimizing the electrochromic switching of a model polymer film.
Main Methods:
- Development of a custom, modular, low-cost automated system (PANDA) using a CNC gantry, syringe pump, potentiostat, and camera.
- Integration of fluid handling, electrochemistry, and optical measurements on samples in 96-well plates with transparent, conducting bottoms.
- Application of Latin hypercube sampling and Bayesian optimization for experimental design and optimization of electrochromic switching in PEDOT:PSS films.
Main Results:
- Validation of the PANDA platform through control experiments demonstrating high repeatability, negligible cross-contamination, and accurate measurements.
- Optimization of electrochromic switching in electrodeposited poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films by exploring monomer concentration, deposition time, and voltage.
- Successful identification of optimal processing conditions for enhanced electrochromic performance using an active learning approach.
Conclusions:
- The PANDA system provides a novel, automated, and integrated approach for the high-throughput study of functional polymer films.
- This self-driving laboratory accelerates the discovery and optimization of polymer materials with desired functional properties.
- The PANDA platform represents a significant advancement in automated materials characterization and discovery.
