Polydiketopyrrolopyrroles Carrying Ethylene Glycol Substituents as Efficient Mixed Ion-Electron Conductors for Biocompatible Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Abstract

A comprehensive investigation of four polydiketopyrrolopyrroles (PDPPs) with increasing ethylene glycol (EG) content and varying nature of comonomer is presented, and guidelines for the design of efficient mixed ion-electron conductors (MIECs) are deduced. The studies in NaCl electrolyte-gated organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) reveal that a high amount of EG on the DPP moiety is essential for MIEC. The PDPP containing 52 wt% EG exhibits a high volumetric capacitance of 338 F cm−3 (at 0.8 V), a high hole mobility in aqueous medium (0.13 cm2 V−1 s−1), and a μC* product of 45 F cm−1 V−1 s−1. OECTs using this polymer retain 97% of the initial drain-current after 1200 cycles (90 min of continuous operation). In a cell growth medium, the OECT-performance is fully maintained as in the NaCl electrolyte. In vitro cytotoxicity and cell viability assays reveal the excellent cell compatibility of these novel systems, showing no toxicity after 24 h of culture. Due to the excellent OECT performance with a considerable cycling stability for 1200 cycles and an outstanding cell compatibility, these PDPPs render themselves viable for in vitro and in vivo bioelectronics.