Conjugated Polymers capable of changing conductivity by aqueous solutions containing ions: Enhancing Ion–Polymer Interactions via Hydrophilic Side Chains
발표자
이효선 (경북대학교 섬유시스템공학과)
연구책임자
김종호 (경북대학교)
초록
내용
Organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors (OMIECs) are capable of transporting both ions and electrons, making them promising materials for aqueous sensing. We synthesized a series of naphthalene diimide (NDI)-based n-type conjugated polymers with ethylene glycol (EG) side chains of varying lengths. These hydrophilic side chains interact with ionic species in solution, affecting ion–polymer interactions and electrical properties. Electrical measurements in ion-containing aqueous environments showed side chain length-dependent changes in conductivity. In particular, the polymers with longer EG chains exhibited non-volatile conductivity behavior, maintaining conductive states after ion removal. These results demonstrate that side chain engineering can tailor ionic interactions and electronic responses in OMIECs, enabling application-specific functions—such as neuromorphic operation for non-volatile systems and organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) for volatile.