Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

HL: Fachverband Halbleiterphysik

HL 22: Biocompatible Organic Semiconductors

HL 22.5: Talk

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 10:30–10:45, POT/0006

Towards Fully Biodegradable and Sustainable Organic Electrochemical Transistors Printed on Leaf-Derived Substrates — •Bilge Kahraman, Rakesh R. Nair, Hans Kleemann, and Karl Leo — Dresden Integrated Center for Applied Physics and Photonic Materials, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany.

The rapid proliferation of disposable electronics has exacerbated electronic waste and its associated environmental burden. Here, we demonstrate fully screen-printed organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) fabricated on robust biodegradable leaf-derived substrates using non-toxic carbon and PEDOT:PSS-based inks. Magnolia grandiflora leaves were skeletonized to function as sequestering matrices for hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) based resin, which was subsequently crosslinked to create robust flexible, compostable substrates. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) reveals that the combination of leaf-skeleton-based substrates and carbon gate electrodes for electronic device fabrication reduces CO₂-equivalent emissions by up to four orders of magnitude compared to conventional glass substrates and gold electrodes (19,400 times lower for substrates; 680 times lower for electrodes). The printed OECTs exhibit steady-state performance comparable to devices made on glass using commercial PEDOT:PSS formulations, with on/off ratios > 10⁴ and transconductance values exceeding 1 mS. This work presents a viable path toward truly green bioelectronic devices that can be manufactured for disposability and safely returned to the environment after use.

Keywords: biodegradable electronics; green electronics; organic electrochemical transistor; leaftronics; screen printing