US-Brazil Collaboration: Peptide nanostructure-based organic electronics

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This project initiates a collaborative effort between the Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo Andre, Brazil and the University of Missouri, Columbia, USA, in the area of peptide nanostructures as active materials and molecular templates for organic electronics. The collaborator from Brazil is an expert in the area of supramolecular chemistry, in particular, in the synthesis of peptide and other bio-inspired functionalized nanostructures. The US investigator is experienced in the area of fundamental optical and electrical studies of organic/polymeric semiconductors. This international collaboration between scientists having complementary expertise aims at the synthesis of new functionalized peptide-based nanostructures (PNS) with conducting polymers (CP) such as poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). These nanostructures may be utilized in electronic devices such as field-effect transistors (FETs) to probe the interface properties of peptide-based semiconductor/insulator (dielectric) films. By combining optical spectroscopy with charge transport measurements, the nature of charge transport including piezoelectric effects in PNS-CP based FETs will be explored. This collaborative work could be a stepping stone for expanding the research effort into large-area bio-inspired nanotechnology. The project will provide opportunities for educational and outreach activities. A graduate student will work with graduate students from Brazil, enhancing mobility and transferability of skills. The project will also be integrated with existing community outreach activities at the University of Missouri that involve innovative teaching and public policy initiatives.