Stabilizing Stretchable Organic Transistors Through Small-Molecule Additive Blending for Ultra-Sensitive Pesticide...

Area of Science:

• Organic electronics
• Materials science
• Sensor technology

Background:

• Stretchable organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are key for wearable sensing but face challenges in mobility and stability under strain.
• Achieving high charge carrier mobility and long-term stability in deformed OFETs is critical for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stabilization strategy for intrinsically stretchable OFETs.
• To enhance both charge carrier mobility and environmental stability of polymer semiconductors.
• To demonstrate the application of these enhanced OFETs in sensitive pesticide detection.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorenone (TeNF) as a water-displacing additive into indacenodithiophene-co-benzothiadiazole (IDTBT) semiconductor.
• Investigation of TeNF-polymer interactions to exclude moisture from nanoscale voids.
• Fabrication and testing of fully stretchable transistors under 100% strain and ambient storage.
• Integration of an extended-gate configuration for pesticide sensing.

Main Results:

• Achieved a dual enhancement in mobility (3.50 cm² Vs^-1) and environmental stability.
• Demonstrated maintained electrical characteristics under 100% strain and after 60 days of ambient storage.
• Reached a low detection limit of 0.032 ppb for chlorpyrifos pesticide with a fast response time.

Conclusions:

• The TeNF stabilization strategy significantly improves the reliability and performance of stretchable organic transistors.
• These enhanced OFETs are suitable for advanced, real-time wearable sensing applications, including environmental monitoring.
• This work provides a pathway for developing next-generation stretchable electronics with superior stability and sensitivity.