CAREER: Understanding and Utilization of Electrochemical Processes for Iontronic Applications

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This CAREER award is jointly funded by the Electronic and Photonic Materials Program (EPM) and the Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program (SSMC), both in the Division of Materials Research.Technical: The research component of this CAREER award is to study conjugated polymers that conduct both ionic and electronic currents in the solid state. The research aims to develop a fundamental understanding of ion movement and electrochemical processes in conjugated polymers. Important materials science issues such as stability, doping, and morphology of the organic semiconductor materials are investigated. The research goals of this project are to develop fundamental knowledge concerning ionic carriers in conjugated polymer mixed conductors, to guide materials and device design by enabling the development of predictive models, and to apply this knowledge to develop novel optoelectronic device structures such as white-light emitters and photovoltaic devices.Non-technical: The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with high technological relevance. The fundamental knowledge gained through the research is expected to contribute to development of novel optoelectronic devices. The educational goals of this project are to greatly increase the number of students graduating with bachelor degrees in science and related fields by tapping into the large, diverse pool of qualified community college students in the State of Washington and to provide quality curriculum in materials science, a disciplinary need of local industry. The PI chairs the curriculum committee for the Materials Science Minor at the Western Washington University. The research and education components of this project are designed to lay the foundation for a long-term integrated scientific and educational program that will last beyond the award period.