Biocompatible and totally disintegrable semiconducting polymer for ultrathin and ultralightweight transient electronics

Abstract

Significance Organic electronics, particularly polymers, can be synthesized and processed with low temperatures and, more importantly, have the potential to be environmentally benign candidates for electronic applications. However, there has been no report of totally decomposable polymer semiconductors. Their availability will enable low-cost and fully disintegrable transient electronics. We have developed an innovative concept based on imine chemistry that allows totally disintegrable and biocompatible semiconducting polymers. Using an ultrathin biodegradable substrate, we successfully fabricated polymer transistors and logic circuits that show high performance and are ultralightweight, but they can be fully disintegrable. Our work significantly advances organic materials to enable environmentally friendly and biointegrated electronic applications.