IMX Talks - Integrating Organic Materials in Systems through AI and High-Throughput Processing

Organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs) are foundational for next-generation wearable electronics due to their dual ionic and electronic transport. This talk explores breakthroughs in material design and architecture leveraging OMIECs for highly sensitive, low-power applications like organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). As an example, I will present the structure-property relationships enabling dual transport and introduce a side-chain engineering approach using perylene diimide trimers (hPDI). This transformation enhances both ionic and electronic conductivity, enabling stable, high-transconductance n-type OECTs.  Another example that will be discussed is conjugated polyelectrolytes, in particular PCPDTBTSO₃-K, or commonly known as CPE-K. This conjugated polyelectrolyte exhibits two-way coupling of ionic and electronic conductivity, which allows for reversible electrochemical doping, enabling dual-mode transistors and high-performance solid-state supercapacitors. I will also demonstrate that OMIECs provide a promising platform for unconventional flexible substrates. Using wet-chemical processing, we can pattern active channels on flexible polyimide or low-cost PCB substrates for dense biosensing arrays. Finally, I will highlight a pathway toward "green," self-powered wearable electronics combining molecular semiconductor advances with flexible processing techniques.

Bio: Dr. Nguyen Dang Tung is an Assistant Professor at the College of Engineering and Computer Science at VinUniversity and serves as the Director of Career Service and Industry for the College. Since joining the university in August 2023, he has led the Integrated Electronics group (https://www.intorlab.com.vn), which develops devices and manufacturing technologies using organic materials to address environmental and societal challenges. Currently, the group focuses on developing multifunctional fibers and organic electrochemical devices. Notably, the group established the first thermal drawing tower for research in Vietnam and is pioneering the use of AI for materials research. Prior to VinUniversity, Dr. Nguyen-Dang studied and worked at Ecole Polytechnique of Paris (B.A. and M.Sc. in Materials Science), EPFL (PhD, Materials Science), Saint-Gobain Company (Research Engineer) and UCSB (in CPOS). His major scientific contributions include a method for creating micro- and nano-patterns on fibers and textiles, a framework for the conservation of shape during the design of functional fibers (at EPFL), and the development of the first dual-mode organic transistors—realized 50 years after the invention of their inorganic counterparts (at UCSB). For his research, Dr. Nguyen-Dang has received E-MRS Student Award (France), SNSF Fellowship (Switzerland) and Otis Williams Fellowship (U.S.A.)
 
VinUniversity (https://vinuni.edu.vn) is an English-medium, non-profit university located in Hanoi, Vietnam. Established by Vingroup, the largest conglomerate in Vietnam, VinUni aspires to become a world-class institution. VinUniversity has transitioned into a research-focused university, centered around three main research pillars: Planet, People, and Prosperity.