Materials in Organic Electrochemical Transistors for Bioelectronic Applications: Past, Present, and Future

Organic electrochemical transistors are bioelectronic devices that exploit the coupled nature of ionic and electronic fluxes to achieve superior transducing abilities compared to conventional organic field effect transistors. In particular, the operation of organic electrochemical transistors relies on a channel material capable of conducting both ionic and electronic charge carriers to ensure bulk electrochemical doping. This review explores the various types of organic semiconductors that are employed as channel materials, with a particular focus on the past 5 years, during which the transducing abilities of organic electrochemical transistors have witnessed an almost tenfold increase. Specifically, the structure-property relationships of the various channel materials employed are investigated, highlighting how device performance can be related to functionality at the molecular level. Finally, an outlook on the field is provided, in particular toward the design guidelines of future materials and the challenges ahead in the field.