Our research interest is in developing low-cost biodegradable devices by investigating the electronic and surface properties of biological materials. Currently, we are working on the following two projects.
Leaf-based Electronics
Leaves are abundant and possess a diverse set of morphology. By taking advantage of intrinsic ion transport within the leaves, architecture, morphology, and surface properties or by infusing conducting polymer within leaves, we have been developing various leaf-based electronic devices. So far, we have demonstrated wires, supercapacitors, and resistive memory devices based on leaves. In these devices, leaf or leaf-derived materials could be the active material or the substrate. Green electronics developed from biological materials such as leaves could potentially serve as low-cost biodegradable alternatives for the ever-growing sector of use-and-throw electronics.
Peptide-based Nanostructures
Nanowires, nanotubes, and other nanostructures from peptides rich in aromatic amino acids can serve as a sustainable alternative to nanoelectronics based on polymers and inorganic materials. We are working on learning more about the electronic, mechanical, and surface properties of these materials and their potential application for developing low-cost biodegradable, and biocompatible electronic devices.
