Talk by Prof. Tsuyoshi Minami

Titel: Supramolecular sensor devices based on organic transistors

Sprecherin: Prof. Tsuyoshi Minami (Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo)

Datum und Uhrzeit: Freitag, 14.06.2024, 13:30 – 15:00 Uhr

Abstract: Supramolecular materials have the potential to be applied to analytical tools owing to their fascinating functions. However, their materials have not been satisfactorily used in practical sensing situations. Herein, the presenter proposes an approach for the development of supramolecular sensor devices based on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). OFETs are electronic devices showing switching characteristics by applying voltage, of which the device characteristics depend on assembled organic semiconductive molecules. Therefore, OFETs can be referred to as supramolecular devices. Owing to their beneficial device properties, OFETs functionalized with appropriate recognition materials contribute to sensitive detection over conventional electrochemical sensing methods. Biological materials such as enzymes and antibodies have been employed owing to their favorable specificities to analytes based on the lock-and-key recognition principle. However, detectable analyte structures are limited by a library of these biological materials. Therefore, synthetic receptors based on molecular recognition chemistry are promising approaches in the design of recognition sites. In this study, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were applied to recognition materials for selective detection. MIPs provide three-dimensional recognition networks against specific analytes because a pre-organized structure made of a template (i.e., analyte) and functional monomers can be optimized by quantum chemical calculation methods. Such optimized MIP structures contribute to selective detection even in the presence of interferents. In contrast, the inherent cross-reactivitiy of supramolecular receptors can be applied to simultaneous detection by using pattern recognition methods. This presentation will discuss the usability of this approach for the realization of supramolecular sensor devices based on fusion technologies of organic electronics, molecular recognition chemistry, and polymer chemistry.