Bridging electrochemical and electron devices: fast resistive switching based on polyaniline from one pot synthesis using FeCl3 as oxidant and co-doping agent

- Synthesis of the dimer of aniline with FeCl3 leading to a fast ionic transfer and highly conducting polymer.
- Resistive hysteresis measured and long term neuroplasticity with a fast response (mem-impedance), confirmed up to 100 kHz.
- Programmable nano battery and fast ionic gate transistor applications proposed and demonstrated.

Pushing the limits of current chemistry applied to printed electronics, beyond the debate on conductive materials, semiconductors and dielectrics, a single material capable of advanced neuromorphic electronic properties was realized, fully solution processable and made by a green chemistry approach. It is based on polyaniline doped with ferric chloride, synthesized in a one pot reaction using FeCl3, working both as oxidant and co-doping agent. The starting monomer was the aniline dimer (N-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine) and methanol was used as solvent in order to allow its solubilisation. This polyaniline results soluble in DMSO and can be used to develop an ink suitable for jetting on any flexible substrate. The obtained polyaniline has two different doping agents, hydrochloridric acid derived from oxidation and FeCl3 and showed resistive hysteresis, also known as resistive switching, as well a slow time dependent plasticity, mimicking the short term neuroplasticity shown by neurons. Various electronic properties of the solution processable polymer were assessed and figures of merits enlightened, evidencing the peculiar fast response.