A here-to-fore unexplored property of 2D electronic materials such as graphene, hexagonal boron nitride and MoS2 is the ability to graft electronic circuits, transistors, memory and sensors onto colloidal particles. Such particles can access local hydrodynamics in fluids to impart motility and can otherwise access spaces inaccessible to conventional electronics. Herein, we develop a 2D material transfer approach combined with conventional lithography to pattern completed, functional circuits on SU-8 particles (100x100x1 µm3) that function as fully autonomous state machines. The circuits are powered by a p-n heterojunction of MoS2 and WSe2 operating as a photodiode, which powers, as a chemiresistor circuit element, a distinct MoS2 monolayer for the detection of VOCs or carbon particulates. Finally, the electrical output is irreversibly stored in a memristor device placed in series consisting as a distinct MoS2 flake sandwiched between Au and Ag electrodes and protected from the environment by hBN monolayer. These colloidal state machines are capable of operation after aerosolization and hydrodynamic propulsion to a target over 0.6 m away. The devices can successfully detect the presence of select analytes while aerosolized, storing this information in memory on the particle for retrieval upon capture. An incorporated retroreflector design of the system allows for facile position location using optical detection. Such state machines, enabled by 2D nanoelectronics, may find widespread application as probes in the human digestive tract, oil and gas conduits, chemical and biosynthetic reactors, and as autonomous environmental sensors.

Colloidal, nanoelectronic state machines based on 2D materials for aerosolizable electronics

255th National Meeting (2018)

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