Design, Synthesis and Processing of Bio-Inspired Soft Materials: Toward New Optoelectronic Devices

The research activity of my PhD course has been focused on two main topics: 1) The design, synthesis and characterization of new nature-inspired organic electroluminescent emitters and their application in opto-electronic devices. 2) The design, synthesis and properties of eumelanin-based semiconductors and their applications in electronic devices. The research activity has been carried out in the laboratories of Dr Manini, Dept. Chemical Sciences – University of Naples Federico II (DCS-UniNA), in the laboratories of Dr Maglione, Lab. Nanomaterials and Devices – ENEA C.R. Portici (ENEA) and in the Laboratories of Prof. Rolandi, Dept. Materials Science and Engineering – University of Washington Seattle (DMSE-UW) and Dept. Electrical Engineering – University of California Santa Cruz (DEE-UCSC). 1) Design, synthesis and characterization of new nature-inspired organic electroluminescent emitters and their application in opto-electronic devices. Within this context, the research activity has been focused on the synthesis of nature-inspired luminescent materials and their possible applications as organic emitters in Organic Light Emitting Devices (OLEDs). Main outcomes have been: a) Synthesis of eumelanin-inspired triazatruxenes as novel blue emitters; b) Synthesis of dopamine-inspired iridium(III) complexes as red emitters; c) Synthesis of pyridophenoxazinone-based iridium(III) complexes. 2) Design, synthesis and properties of eumelanin-based semiconductors and their applications in electronic devices. Within this context the research activity has been focused on two main aspects concerning the fabrication and functioning of eumelanin-based electronic devices, that is to improve the processing step for the deposition of homogeneous eumelanin thin films and to delineate the factors governing the electrical conduction of eumelanin-based devices. Main outcomes have been: a) Novel approaches to eumelanin thin film deposition; b) Electrical properties of eumelanin thin films; c) New melanin-based bio-interfaces.