Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution Synthesis
In this study, we fabricated an electric double-layer transistor (EDLT), a synaptic device, by preparing a casein biopolymer electrolyte solution using an efficient microwave-assisted synthesis to replace the conventional heating (heat stirrer) synthesis. Microwave irradiation (MWI) is more efficien...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/2/293 |
| _version_ | 1797437552864526336 |
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| author | Hwi-Su Kim Hamin Park Won-Ju Cho |
| author_facet | Hwi-Su Kim Hamin Park Won-Ju Cho |
| author_sort | Hwi-Su Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we fabricated an electric double-layer transistor (EDLT), a synaptic device, by preparing a casein biopolymer electrolyte solution using an efficient microwave-assisted synthesis to replace the conventional heating (heat stirrer) synthesis. Microwave irradiation (MWI) is more efficient in transferring energy to materials than heat stirrer, which significantly reduces the preparation time for casein electrolytes. The capacitance–frequency characteristics of metal–insulator–metal configurations applying the casein electrolyte prepared through MWI or a heat stirrer were measured. The capacitance of the MWI synthetic casein was 3.58 μF/cm<sup>2</sup> at 1 Hz, which was higher than that of the heat stirrer (1.78 μF/cm<sup>2</sup>), confirming a stronger EDL gating effect. Electrolyte-gated EDLTs using two different casein electrolytes as gate-insulating films were fabricated. The MWI synthetic casein exhibited superior EDLT electrical characteristics compared to the heat stirrer. Meanwhile, essential synaptic functions, including excitatory post-synaptic current, paired-pulse facilitation, signal filtering, and potentiation/depression, were successfully demonstrated in both EDLTs. However, MWI synthetic casein electrolyte-gated EDLT showed higher synaptic facilitation than the heat stirrer. Furthermore, we performed an MNIST handwritten-digit-recognition task using a multilayer artificial neural network and MWI synthetic casein EDLT achieved a higher recognition rate of 91.24%. The results suggest that microwave-assisted casein solution synthesis is an effective method for realizing biocompatible neuromorphic systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:24:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-324d4cb252614720bee7956850a68d83 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:24:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-324d4cb252614720bee7956850a68d832023-12-01T00:07:32ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602023-01-0115229310.3390/polym15020293Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution SynthesisHwi-Su Kim0Hamin Park1Won-Ju Cho2Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Gwangun-ro 20, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Gwangun-ro 20, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Electronic Materials Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Gwangun-ro 20, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of KoreaIn this study, we fabricated an electric double-layer transistor (EDLT), a synaptic device, by preparing a casein biopolymer electrolyte solution using an efficient microwave-assisted synthesis to replace the conventional heating (heat stirrer) synthesis. Microwave irradiation (MWI) is more efficient in transferring energy to materials than heat stirrer, which significantly reduces the preparation time for casein electrolytes. The capacitance–frequency characteristics of metal–insulator–metal configurations applying the casein electrolyte prepared through MWI or a heat stirrer were measured. The capacitance of the MWI synthetic casein was 3.58 μF/cm<sup>2</sup> at 1 Hz, which was higher than that of the heat stirrer (1.78 μF/cm<sup>2</sup>), confirming a stronger EDL gating effect. Electrolyte-gated EDLTs using two different casein electrolytes as gate-insulating films were fabricated. The MWI synthetic casein exhibited superior EDLT electrical characteristics compared to the heat stirrer. Meanwhile, essential synaptic functions, including excitatory post-synaptic current, paired-pulse facilitation, signal filtering, and potentiation/depression, were successfully demonstrated in both EDLTs. However, MWI synthetic casein electrolyte-gated EDLT showed higher synaptic facilitation than the heat stirrer. Furthermore, we performed an MNIST handwritten-digit-recognition task using a multilayer artificial neural network and MWI synthetic casein EDLT achieved a higher recognition rate of 91.24%. The results suggest that microwave-assisted casein solution synthesis is an effective method for realizing biocompatible neuromorphic systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/2/293microwavebiocompatible polymerscaseinelectric double layersynaptic transistorsartificial synapses |
| spellingShingle | Hwi-Su Kim Hamin Park Won-Ju Cho Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution Synthesis Polymers microwave biocompatible polymers casein electric double layer synaptic transistors artificial synapses |
| title | Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution Synthesis |
| title_full | Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution Synthesis |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution Synthesis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution Synthesis |
| title_short | Enhanced Synaptic Properties in Biocompatible Casein Electrolyte via Microwave-Assisted Efficient Solution Synthesis |
| title_sort | enhanced synaptic properties in biocompatible casein electrolyte via microwave assisted efficient solution synthesis |
| topic | microwave biocompatible polymers casein electric double layer synaptic transistors artificial synapses |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/2/293 |
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