Smart electronic sensors
Low level of toxic gases, and Radiation cannot be detected by human senses, therefore sensory tools are necessary to detect and measure the radiation for the prevention or reduction of possible human exposure. Thin film transistors (TFTs) based sensors are getting a lot of interest due to its high sensitivity, selectivity and simple device fabrication process. TFTs based sensors have great potential for a wide variety of applications in flexible electronics. In addition, polymer based TFTs can be printed in large areas. By controlling the fabrication condition and modification of the dielectric layer, the resulted ultrathin monolayer polymer composite film is used as a sensor. Selective and sensitive detection of various gases/radiation is observed in these polymer composite based TFTs. In this project, we demonstrate high performance gas/radiation sensor based on polymer films fabricated by solution process on an ultra-flexible substrate. We demonstrate simple fabrication techniques for building an inexpensive ultra-flexible wearable sensors.
Our TFT sensor arrays for sensing various gases and radiation:
Our TFT sensor arrays for sensing various gases and radiation:
Molecular Materials for Solar Cells
Our approach is to mimic photosynthetic energy conversion with the construction of synthetic supramolecular systems containing chromophores, electron donors and electron acceptors linked by covalent bonds. In this system, the photo-induced current from the small molecule/polymer blend is the primary process for photocurrent generation and work is progressing in the areas of material construction as well as on device optimisation. Eventually we want to achieve low cost printed solar cells.
Proton Transporting Material for Fuel Cells
Molecular self-assembly chemistry and materials science are two domains of research linked together due to their overlapping at mesoscopic scale. One of the great challenges today, facing physics, chemistry, and materials science, is to find a way to structure molecules so as to enable them to build molecular functional materials which could impact the development of applied technology.
The development of novel proton conducting materials has attracted much attention because of an important step in the transition to a hydrogen-based economy. Supramolecular organic architectures with extensive hydrogen-bonding networks could become a powerful approach for fabrication of materials with extraordinary proton conductivity. In this research, we develop molecular functional materials with ordered structures through self-assembly hydrogen bonding network. We work on organic molecules containing acidic proton moieties as molecular building blocks for supramolecular typed proton materials. The objective is to expand the horizon of supramolecular chemistry to accomplish new molecular materials with unprecedented properties, eventually to apply the technology into industry for fuel cell applications.
The development of novel proton conducting materials has attracted much attention because of an important step in the transition to a hydrogen-based economy. Supramolecular organic architectures with extensive hydrogen-bonding networks could become a powerful approach for fabrication of materials with extraordinary proton conductivity. In this research, we develop molecular functional materials with ordered structures through self-assembly hydrogen bonding network. We work on organic molecules containing acidic proton moieties as molecular building blocks for supramolecular typed proton materials. The objective is to expand the horizon of supramolecular chemistry to accomplish new molecular materials with unprecedented properties, eventually to apply the technology into industry for fuel cell applications.
Molecular Self-assembled Monolayer Based Integrated Circuits
The search for new classes of organic and metal-organic compounds for molecular electronics is of immense current interest due to the relative low-cost and potential applications in electronic logic circuits. The development of molecular materials represents a new frontier in preparation of high performance flexible transistor.
In this project, the principal objectives are: 1) to design inexpensive and charge transporting molecular materials; 2) to develop simple fabrication techniques, such as solution processing for the fabrication of thin film transistors and logic circuits.
In this project, the principal objectives are: 1) to design inexpensive and charge transporting molecular materials; 2) to develop simple fabrication techniques, such as solution processing for the fabrication of thin film transistors and logic circuits.
Academic Collaborators
Dr. Michael Lam, Dr. Kenneth Lo and Dr. Vincent Ko (BCH, City University of Hong Kong)
Prof. Chi-Ming Che (The University of Hong Kong)
Prof. C. S. Lee and Prof. Igor Bello (AP, City University of Hong Kong)
Dr. Michele Muccini, ISMN, CNR di Bologna, Italy.
Prof. Jong Wu, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan.
Prof. Peter Stallinga, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
Prof. Jing-Lin Zuo, Nanjing University, China.
Funding Sources
City University of Hong Kong and ITC of HKSAR
Dr. Michael Lam, Dr. Kenneth Lo and Dr. Vincent Ko (BCH, City University of Hong Kong)
Prof. Chi-Ming Che (The University of Hong Kong)
Prof. C. S. Lee and Prof. Igor Bello (AP, City University of Hong Kong)
Dr. Michele Muccini, ISMN, CNR di Bologna, Italy.
Prof. Jong Wu, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan.
Prof. Peter Stallinga, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
Prof. Jing-Lin Zuo, Nanjing University, China.
Funding Sources
City University of Hong Kong and ITC of HKSAR