Modern electronics are based on rigid plastics, metals, semiconductors, and harsh production techniques that place a heavy burden on the environment.  Our group focuses on the development of environmentally benign functional materials and processing techniques for flexible electronics, energy transducers, and stimuli-responsive surfaces. In this talk, we will discuss the development of environmentally benign materials based on alginate and chitosan, and cellulosic materials such as cotton, and inorganic semiconductors. Although inorganic semiconductors are intrinsically rigid and brittle, when the size, orientation, and shape are confined to the nanoscale, they can be combined with flexible biomaterial supports to elicit high functionality that may even surpass the performance of their traditionally produced counterparts.  An electrospinning technique combined with room temperature hydrothermal growth was used to generate high surface-area-to-volume ratio materials. These materials house more functional groups for the specific application with minimum alteration on the bulk properties of the substrate.

Biodegradable and biocompatible functional nanomaterials

244th National Meeting (2012)

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