Wireless organic electronic ion pumps driven by photovoltaics

• Main Authors: Marie Jakešová, Theresia Arbring Sjöström, Vedran Đerek, David Poxson, Magnus Berggren, Eric Daniel Głowacki, Daniel T. Simon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2019-07-01
• Series: npj Flexible Electronics
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-019-0060-6

Wireless and sun-powered organic electronic ion pumps Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells can wirelessly power the delivery of small-sized ionic species over 1 cm in an organic electronic ion pump (OEIP) device upon illumination of commercial LEDs. A collaborative team led by Prof Eric Głowacki from Linköping University, Sweden integrates serial-connected OPV cells to supply the high voltage to drive the transport of cations through an OEIP under skin. The OPV cells work at the tissue transparency window (600–700 nm) and serves as both wireless switch and modulator to tune the cation transport. As a result, they show that commercial 3 W, 630 nm LEDs can generate penetrated light intensity of 2 mW/cm2 through a 1.5-cm-thick finger and realize proton transport over 1 cm. This platform is a nice demonstration of wireless smart device and enables future OEIP applications.