Organic electronic polymers are quasi-1D systems that are held together by Van der Waals interactions. As water and electrolyte components are introduced into such an electronic bulk it then swells and becomes a mixed ion-electron conductor with several unique features and possible applications outlined. Upon electronically biasing the electronic bulk, one can either accumulate or deplete electronic charges along the p-conjugated backbones, at the same time as ion exchange occur between the electrolyte phase and the organic electronic material. Such capacitive charging-discharging impacts the conductivity, chemical and also several other physical parameters and defines the mode of operation in an array of organic electrochemical and electronic devices. In this talk, some of the fundamental device concepts based on organic electronic materials and electrolytes will be reported along with applications in internet-of-thing (IoT), energy technology and med-tech. (1) The organic electrochemical transistor has been developed into an all-printed technology enabling analogue and digital systems on flexible foils and labels. Such soft-flexible electronics are now explored and applied into several smart label and IoT applications, for instance targeting packaging, sensor monitoring and smart band aids. (2) Organic electronic materials have also been complexed with cellulose and redox biopolymers from the forest and is now explored as the positrode and negatrode in eco-friendly and large scale battery and supercapacitors, specifically targeting peak-shaving in electric grid applications. (3) The coupling between electronic and ionic charges can also be applied to electro-actuation in drug delivery devices, here enabling electrophoretic delivery of neurotransmitters and other biochemicals, at high spatiotemporal resolution. Such technology has successfully been explored in several in vivo settings, focusing on combatting chronic pain and several neurodegenerative diseases in animal models. In an extension, this technology was also applied to living plants to monitor and regulate physiology of small and large-sized plant models.

Magnus Berggren, Professor
Laboratory of Organic Electronics, ITN
Linköping University
Norrköping, Sweden

Professor Magnus Berggren is the founding director of the Laboratory of Organic Electronics (LOE), at Linköping University in Sweden. LOE includes about 140 members that are organized in 11 research groups covering synthesis, theoretical modelling, device physics and engineering within the area of Organic Electronics. In addition, Magnus has also founded the Printed Electronics unit of RISE and has cofounded more than 10 spin-out companies in the Printed Electronics Arena. He is also an elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.