A facile route for the preparation of organic bistable memory devices based on size-controlled conducting polypyrrole nanoparticles

Organic bistable memory devices (OBDs) with size-controlled polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles are developed by employing conducting PPy nanoparticle-embedded poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as an active layer in OBDs. Monodisperse polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles with different diameters (20, 60, and 100 nm) are fabricated via dispersion polymerization in order to evaluate size-dependent bistable memory characteristics. Stable multilevel switching and a high on/off ratio over 100 were demonstrated with 20 nm of PPy in the OBDs.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Conducting PPy nanoparticles were synthesized through a dispersion polymerization. ► Diameter of PPy nanoparticle can be controlled by changing experimental conditions. ► PPy nanoparticle were embedded in PVA matrix as an active layer in OBDs. ► Non-volatile OBDs with 20 nm of PPy nanoparticle have a high on/off ratio. ► PPy nanoparticle-based OBDs showed stable multilevel switching behavior.