CAREER: Ionic Transistor Devices for Sensing and Controlled Actuation - An Integrated Research, Teaching and Community Outreach Program

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This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award focuses on the development of a novel active material formed from integrating the ionic properties of a bio-derived membrane and a conducting polymer membrane. The scientific goal of this project is the development of a hybrid membrane that can respond to low power electrical signal or low concentration chemical trigger and perform electromechanical work using ambient chemical gradients. This hybrid membrane, referred to as Bio-derived Ionic Transistor (BIT) functions as the fundamental unit in sensing and actuation systems. A BIT device comprising a conducting polymer and a bio-derived membrane (BLM with proteins) will be fabricated, characterized using a coupled model and optimized into a robust transistor. The scientific goal of this research proposal will be achieved by addressing the following questions: What is/are the (i) limiting conditions (geometrical, chemoelectrical, mechanical) for ion transport, (ii) relationship between the output, gating signal and input (static, dynamic), (iii) open-loop and closed-loop operation (transfer function, sensitivity, disturbance rejection, stability and performance limitation) and (iv) fabrication constraints and scalability.If successful, this CAREER research project will lead to the development of a robust real-time sensing array constructed using BIT devices that can detect chemical and bioelectrical signals using commercially available proteins and be applicable in healthcare, national defense and homeland security. This project will also lead to the development of an artificial muscle using the chemomechanical properties of the BIT device. This CAREER award will enable the PI to build an inter-disciplinary research program in Polymer Mechatronic Materials, promote participation of women in engineering, integrate this research work in to undergraduate and graduate curriculum at Virginia Commonwealth University through Active Learning and disseminate knowledge in this field to the general public and school students in the Commonwealth through continuous engagements with the Science Museum of Virginia at Richmond, Virginia.