journal article·2026-06Open access

Backbone‐Controlled Ion‐Side Chain Accessibility in Conjugated Polymers for Organic Electrochemical Synaptic Transistors

Junho Sung, Sein Chung, Byeongjun Jeon, Donghwa Lee, Myungjin An, Jiyeong Shin, Yoohyeon Jang, Donghoo Won, Changduk Yang, Bumjoon Seo, Eunho Lee

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 36· Issue 50

Abstract

ABSTRACT Achieving stable and nonvolatile synaptic plasticity remains a central challenge for organic neuromorphic devices. While previous efforts have independently focused on backbone or side chain modifications, the fundamental role of conjugated backbone design in directing side chain–ion interaction has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that modulation of thiophene units in the backbone governs the spatial arrangement and ionic accessibility of glycol side chains, thereby enabling strong anion adsorption and long‐term retention. Electrolyte‐gated organic synaptic transistors (EGOSTs) with extended backbones exhibit pronounced structural reorganization, suppressed ion back‐diffusion, and stable nonvolatile characteristics. As artificial synapses, the devices realize robust neuromorphic functions, including paired‐pulse facilitation, long‐term potentiation/depression, and achieves 89.34% accuracy in convolutional neural network simulations. This work establishes conjugated backbone regulation as a straightforward strategy for controlling side‐chain‐electrolyte contiguity, thereby proposing a novel design principle for nonvolatile synaptic devices and advancing the development of reliable organic neuromorphic computing.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Memory and Neural Computing · Conducting polymers and applications · Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Seoul National University of Science and Technology Seoul Republic of Korea

Department of Chemical Engineering Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang Republic of Korea

School of Energy and Chemical Engineering Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology Ulsan Republic of Korea

Funding

National Research Foundation of Korea

References (75)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1038/s41565-020-0738-x10.1038/s41565-020-0738-x ↗
2. 10.1038/s41565-020-0724-310.1038/s41565-020-0724-3 ↗
3. 10.1038/s41565-020-0647-z10.1038/s41565-020-0647-z ↗
4. 10.1007/s11814-024-00246-710.1007/s11814-024-00246-7 ↗
5. 10.1038/s41565-020-0655-z10.1038/s41565-020-0655-z ↗
6. 10.1038/s43588-021-00184-y10.1038/s43588-021-00184-y ↗
7. Boosting AI with Neuromorphic Computing
8. 10.1038/s41565-018-0302-010.1038/s41565-018-0302-0 ↗
9. 10.1002/adfm.20200368310.1002/adfm.202003683 ↗
10. 10.1021/acsnano.0c0944110.1021/acsnano.0c09441 ↗
11. 10.1038/s41467-024-46246-310.1038/s41467-024-46246-3 ↗
12. 10.1007/s11814-024-00319-710.1007/s11814-024-00319-7 ↗
13. 10.1038/natrevmats.2017.8610.1038/natrevmats.2017.86 ↗
14. 10.1002/adfm.20210006910.1002/adfm.202100069 ↗
15. 10.1038/s43586-021-00065-810.1038/s43586-021-00065-8 ↗
16. 10.1002/smsc.20230030610.1002/smsc.202300306 ↗
17. 10.1039/D4MH00806E10.1039/D4MH00806E ↗
18. 10.1002/advs.20230543010.1002/advs.202305430 ↗
19. 10.1002/sstr.20240031910.1002/sstr.202400319 ↗
20. 10.1007/s40820-025-01708-110.1007/s40820-025-01708-1 ↗
21. 10.1038/s41467-025-59587-410.1038/s41467-025-59587-4 ↗
22. 10.1038/s41578-024-00652-710.1038/s41578-024-00652-7 ↗
23. 10.1002/adma.20242032310.1002/adma.202420323 ↗
24. 10.1021/acs.macromol.7b0041410.1021/acs.macromol.7b00414 ↗
25. 10.1002/adma.20190195610.1002/adma.201901956 ↗
26. 10.1002/adma.20190804710.1002/adma.201908047 ↗
27. 10.1002/anie.20210608410.1002/anie.202106084 ↗
28. 10.1021/jacs.1c0351610.1021/jacs.1c03516 ↗
29. 10.1002/anie.20201407810.1002/anie.202014078 ↗
30. 10.1039/D3MH00858D10.1039/D3MH00858D ↗
31. 10.1007/s42823-024-00748-810.1007/s42823-024-00748-8 ↗
32. 10.1007/s42823-024-00702-810.1007/s42823-024-00702-8 ↗
33. 10.1002/adfm.20231298810.1002/adfm.202312988 ↗
34. 10.1002/adfm.20241255410.1002/adfm.202412554 ↗
35. 10.1002/adfm.20241970610.1002/adfm.202419706 ↗
36. 10.1002/smll.20240871610.1002/smll.202408716 ↗
37. 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c0057110.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00571 ↗
38. 10.1002/anie.20242301310.1002/anie.202423013 ↗
39. 10.1002/anie.20231363410.1002/anie.202313634 ↗
40. 10.1002/adma.20250854110.1002/adma.202508541 ↗
41. 10.1002/adma.20200274810.1002/adma.202002748 ↗
42. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.0c0204110.1021/acs.chemmater.0c02041 ↗
43. 10.1002/adma.20230740210.1002/adma.202307402 ↗
44. 10.1016/j.cej.2024.15037110.1016/j.cej.2024.150371 ↗
45. 10.1002/adfm.20231254610.1002/adfm.202312546 ↗
46. 10.1039/D5MH00005J10.1039/D5MH00005J ↗
47. 10.1007/s11814-024-00117-110.1007/s11814-024-00117-1 ↗
48. 10.1007/s11814-024-00166-610.1007/s11814-024-00166-6 ↗
49. 10.1007/s42823-024-00714-410.1007/s42823-024-00714-4 ↗
50. 10.1038/nn82610.1038/nn826 ↗
51. 10.1038/nature1905810.1038/nature19058 ↗
52. 10.1002/adma.20220257410.1002/adma.202202574 ↗
53. 10.1007/s11814-024-00018-310.1007/s11814-024-00018-3 ↗
54. 10.1002/smtd.20250032210.1002/smtd.202500322 ↗
55. 10.1002/adfm.20241753910.1002/adfm.202417539 ↗
56. 10.1126/sciadv.adg594610.1126/sciadv.adg5946 ↗
57. 10.1002/adma.20180396110.1002/adma.201803961 ↗
58. 10.1002/adma.20190643310.1002/adma.201906433 ↗
59. 10.1002/admt.20240131610.1002/admt.202401316 ↗
60. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.10403510.1016/j.nanoen.2019.104035 ↗
61. 10.1002/adfm.20241201210.1002/adfm.202412012 ↗
62. 10.1021/jacs.2c0641710.1021/jacs.2c06417 ↗
63. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b0238110.1021/acs.chemmater.6b02381 ↗
64. 10.1002/adma.20220305510.1002/adma.202203055 ↗
65. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c0248910.1021/acs.chemmater.3c02489 ↗
66. 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b0135310.1021/acs.jpcc.7b01353 ↗
67. 10.1038/s41427-018-0054-110.1038/s41427-018-0054-1 ↗
68. 10.1002/adfm.20221282510.1002/adfm.202212825 ↗
69. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.2c0155210.1021/acs.chemmater.2c01552 ↗
70. 10.1038/s41467-024-46493-410.1038/s41467-024-46493-4 ↗
71. 10.1002/smtd.20220114510.1002/smtd.202201145 ↗
72. 10.1016/j.mtadv.2023.10036010.1016/j.mtadv.2023.100360 ↗
73. 10.1021/ma070900110.1021/ma0709001 ↗
74. P.‐Y.Chen X.Peng andS.Yu “NeuroSim+: An Integrated Device‐to‐Algorithm Framework for Benchmarking Synaptic Devices and Array Architectures ” in2017 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) (IEEE 2017) 6.1.1–6.1.4.10.1109/IEDM.2017.8268337 ↗
75. 10.1109/TCAD.2018.278972310.1109/TCAD.2018.2789723 ↗