Hybrid Electronic Sheets via Phage-Bound Graphitic Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for preparing flexible electronic devices using carbon nanomaterials, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes, face challenges including poor electrical contact properties, chemical etching requirements, and difficulty in transferring these materials onto complex substrates without compromising their performance or stability.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid electronic sheet is created by binding a graphitic material with a phage that displays a peptide, allowing for non-destructive and strong binding, enabling superior electrical properties and compatibility with biomaterials, and can be transferred onto various substrates without chemical etching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carbon nanotube or graphene is deposited by spin coating or vacuum filtration, then a film can be formed on the substrate, but the device performance decreases and contact property with flexible substrate becomes unsatisfactory due to organic solvent or dispersant remaining after chemical etching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful organic solvents and dispersants from the carbon nanotube film through a washing process using acetone and ethanol, thereby eliminating the harmful factors that degrade contact property while preserving the essential carbon nanotube structure and electrical conductivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of chemical etching into a beneficial process by using controlled chemical etching followed by thorough washing, which removes both the harmful dispersants and excess carbon nanotubes, leaving behind a clean film with superior contact property
2Reliability
If CVD-grown graphene is used, then excellent electrical property can be achieved, but environmentally harmful etching solution is necessary and effective surface area per unit area is very small because graphene consists of single or few layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful chemical etching process into a beneficial selective removal process by using controlled etching followed by washing, which eliminates the need for environmentally harmful etching solutions while achieving excellent electrical property through high-quality carbon nanotube films
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from using single-layer graphene to using multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fundamentally altering the structural parameter to achieve both excellent electrical property and large effective surface area without requiring harmful etching solutions
3Stability of the object's composition
If reduced graphene oxide is used, then chemical stability is improved, but electrical property is not excellent because a process of chemically reducing the graphene oxide which has been chemically oxidized is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic chemical reduction step from the process sequence, directly using carbon nanotubes that inherently possess both chemical stability and excellent electrical conductivity, thereby eliminating the need for chemical reduction while maintaining both properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from reduced graphene oxide to carbon nanotubes, which fundamentally resolves the contradiction by providing a material that naturally exhibits both chemical stability and superior electrical conductivity without requiring chemical modification
4Adaptability or versatility
If existing methods are used to prepare flexible electrode including biomaterial, then device can be fabricated, but it is difficult to realize flexible device having superior electrical property wherein biomaterial is nanohybridized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system combining carbon nanotubes with biomaterials through a washing process that removes harmful substances while preserving the nanohybrid structure, thereby achieving both superior electrical property and biomaterial compatibility in the same device
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hybrid electronic sheet achieves enhanced electrical conductivity, stability, and flexibility, facilitating the creation of high-performance flexible electronic devices with improved contact properties and compatibility with complex substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a phage binding to the graphitic material, wherein a peptide is displayed on a coat protein of the phage or a fragment of the phage, and the binding occurs between the graphitic material and the peptide
Implementation Method 2
dialyzing the mixture using a membrane so as to form an electronic sheet in a solution
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electronic sheet including a graphitic material and a phage which displays a peptide having a binding ability to the graphitic material on its coat protein or a fragment thereof.