CAREER: Investigating Protonic Semiconductivity in Polysaccharide Nanofibers with Field Effect Protonic Transistors

该职业奖由材料研究部的电子和光子材料计划(EPM)和生物材料计划(BMAT)联合资助。技术：该职业奖的研究部分研究场效应晶体管(FET)中多糖纳米纤维的质子(H+)导电性。这项研究建立在具有质子透明接触的生物兼容多糖场效应晶体管中的电流调制演示的基础上。在马来酸-壳聚糖纳米纤维中，质子沿着水化的马来酸-壳聚糖氢键网络运动，遵循格洛特斯机理。本项目研究一种描述这些场效应晶体管的模型，该模型包括质子类型(H+)和质子空穴类型(OH-)半导体。通过测量质子FET器件中质子输运随水含量、温度、触点和沟道材料的变化，验证了该模型。具体地说，合成了具有不同解离常数的给质子(酸)和吸质子(碱)基团的甲壳素衍生物。这些材料应该表现为H+和OH型质子半导体。最后，对这些质子传输现象的理解被用来设计用于生物医学应用的装置。这些包括平面质子选择性膜片钳和基于细胞的传感器。非技术：质子传输在许多自然现象中扮演着重要的角色。因此，可以直接测量和控制质子电流的装置可能为测量电生理学中的质子输运提供新的手段。纳米科学和纳米技术的进步已经开始影响日常生活。然而，“硬科学”学科经常吓倒高中生和非科学-技术-工程-数学(STEM)专业的大学生，因为STEM学科被认为与日常经验相去甚远。为了增加高中生和非STEM专业学生的科学知识，这个项目探索了让他们设计图形来描述纳米科学和纳米技术概念的有趣和平易近人的活动。在创作图形的过程中，学生们见证了纳米技术可以是一个可接近的和创造性的领域，同时也获得了对基础科学的更好理解。此外，科学家经常使用图形来交流他们的结果。然而，STEM课程中很少有关于视觉交流的正式培训。该项目从与艺术专业的合作中获得灵感和帮助，引入了一个关于平面设计的生物科技基本元素的新课程，在这里，理工科研究生学习如何为他们的出版物制作有效的数字。

This CAREER award is jointly funded by the Electronic and Photonic Materials Program (EPM) and Biomaterials Program (BMAT), both in the Division of Materials Research.Technical: The research component of this CAREER award investigates the proton (H+) conductivity of polysaccharide nanofibers in field effect transistors (FET). The research builds on the demonstration of current modulation in biocompatible polysaccharide field effect transistors with proton-transparent contacts. In maleic-chitosan nanofibers, protons move along the hydrated maleic-chitosan hydrogen bond network following the Grotthuss mechanism. This project studies a model for describing these field effect transistors that involves proton type (H+) and proton hole type (OH-) semiconductors. This model is verified by measuring proton transport in proton FET devices as a function of water content, temperature, contacts, and channel material. Specifically, chitin derivatives with proton-donating (acid) and proton-withdrawing (base) groups with different dissociation constant are synthesized. These materials should behave as H+ and OH- type proton semiconductors. Finally, the understanding of these proton transport phenomena is used to design devices for biomedical applications. These include planar proton selective patch-clamping and cell-based sensors.Non-technical: Proton transport plays an essential role in many natural phenomena. As such, devices that can directly measure and control protonic currents may provide new means of measuring proton transport in electrophysiology. Progress in nanoscience and nanotechnology has started to impact daily lives. However, "hard-science" disciplines often intimidate high-school students and as well as college students not in science-technology-engineering-mathematics (STEM) majors because STEM disciplines are perceived as being remote from daily experiences. To increase the science knowledge of high-school students and non-STEM majors, this project explores the fun and approachable activity of having them design graphics to depict nanoscience and nanotechnology concepts. In the process of creating graphics, students witness that nanotechnology can be an approachable and creative field, while also gaining a better understanding of the underlying science. Furthermore, scientists often communicate their results using graphics. However, little formal training in visual communication is present in the STEM curriculum. Gathering inspiration and help from working with art majors, this project introduces a new class on bionanotechnology basic elements for graphic design, where science and engineering graduate students learn how to make effective figures for their publications.