Colloidal Electronic Matter

Arming nano-electronics with mobility extends artificial systems into traditionally inaccessible environments. Carbon nanotubes (1D), graphene (2D) and other low-dimensional materials with well-defined lattice structures can be incorporated into polymer microparticles, granting them unique electronic functions. The resulting colloidal electronic 'cells', comprised of microscopic circuits connecting artificial 'organelles' (e.g., generators, sensors, logic gates, etc.), combine the modularity of modern electronics with the characteristic mobility found in dispersive colloidal systems. In this talk, I will discuss our efforts to fabricate colloidal electronic systems that perform autonomous functions integrating energy harvesting, chemical detection and digital memory recording - all within a form-factor no larger than biological cells.