The conjugated oligomer ETE-S is enzymatically polymerized in vitro, in the presence of peroxidase and H2O2. This polymerization route occurs also in the plant cell wall where ETE-S polymerizes and forms conductors along the plant structure.
Conjugated oligomers polymerize in vivo on the root system of intact plants forming an extended network of tissue integrated conductors while the plants continue to grow and develop. The conducting roots are used to store energy in the plant.
Electronic materials that can self-organize in vivo and form functional components along the tissue of interest can result in a seamless integration of the bioelectronic interface. Previously, we presented in vivo polymerization of the conjugated oligomer ETE-S in plants, forming conductors along the plant structure. The EDOT−thiophene−EDOT trimer with a sulfonate side group polymerized due to the native enzymatic activity of the plant and integrated within the plant cell wall. Here, we present the synthesis of three different conjugated trimers based on thiophene and EDOT or purely EDOT trimers that are able to polymerize enzymatically in physiological pH in vitro as well as in vivo along the roots of living plants. We show that by modulating the backbone and the side chain, we can tune the electronic properties of the resulting polymers as well as their localization and penetration within the root. Our work paves the way for the rational design of electronic materials that can self-organize in vivo for spatially controlled electronic functionalization of living tissue.
Correction for ‘Biohybrid plants with electronic roots via in vivo polymerization of conjugated oligomers’ by Daniela Parker et al., Mater. Horiz., 2021, 8, 3295–3305, DOI: 10.1039/D1MH01423D.
Next-generation implantable computational devices require long-term stable electronic components capable of operating in, and interacting with, electrolytic surroundings without being damaged. Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) emerged as fitting candidates. However, while single devices feature impressive figures of merit, integrated circuits (ICs) immersed in a common electrolytes are hard to realize using electrochemical transistors, and there is no clear path forward for optimal top-down circuit design and high-density integration. The simple observation that two OECTs immersed in the same electrolytic medium will inevitably interact hampers their implementation in complex circuitry. The electrolyte's ionic conductivity connects all the devices in the liquid, producing unwanted and often unforeseeable dynamics. Minimizing or harnessing this crosstalk has been the focus of very recent studies. In this Perspective, we discuss the main challenges, trends, and opportunities for realizing OECT-based circuitry in a liquid environment that could circumnavigate the hard limits of engineering and human physiology. We analyze the most successful approaches in autonomous bioelectronics and information processing. Elaborating on the strategies to circumvent and harness device crosstalk proves that platforms capable of complex computation and even machine learning can be realized in-liquido using mixed ionic-electronic conductors.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.