Research

Bio-Electronics Materials laboratory (BEML) focuses on synthesizing smart electronic/photonic materials with three-dimensional (3-D) morphology and developing soft electronic/photovoltaic devices and bio-electronic interfaces. Fundamental understanding of molecular effects on electrical, optical, and mechanical properties has enabled formulation of multi-functional soft materials with decent conductivity, desired surface chemistry, and tunable mechanical parameters. These smart materials have shown promising results in their application to flexible displays and solar cells, and, more recently, biomedical study on controlled drug release, bio-actuators, and bio-electronics. Particularly, in bio-electronics and bionics technology (e.g., cochlear implants, artificial retinas, and brain-machine interfaces), development of novel bio-electronic interfacial materials with enhanced electrical properties and biocompatibility has been regarded as crucial to solving several critical issues at many practical aspects.

Toward this goal, we lead the basic research programs as follows:

1) developing novel electronic/photonic materials based on small molecules, polymers, and organic-inorganic hybrids,

2) fabricating 3-D nanostructures with these materials,

3) modulating their surface chemistry and 3-D shapes with external stimuli.

In parallel to hunting for 'smart' electronic/photonic materials, we pursue the research efforts to develop

1) high-performance & low-cost thin-film transistors, supercapacitors, and photovoltaics,

2) ultra-light & low-voltage electro-actuators and artificial muscles, and

3) bio-electronic interfaces monitoring and controlling physiological activities of electrogenic cellular systems (e.g., neurons, muscles, cardiac cells).

On-going research topics

  • Fabricating bio-implantable soft nanostructures with electroactive polymers.

  • Developing high-performance thin-film transistors, photovoltaics, and electro-actuators based on olymers and organic-inorganic hybrid materials.

  • Investigating biophysical interaction between neurons and electroactive nanostructures.