Arnel Besic
Electropolymerized Organic Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conductors
Department of Chemistry
Organic mixed ionic electronic conductors (OMIECs) are conjugated polymer systems that conduct both ions and electrons. They are promising materials for biosensors, neuromorphic computing platforms, and energy storage devices. OMIEC devices would last longer and are more biocompatable, making them a great replacement for traditional materials that take hundreds of years to decay. An obstacle for these new materials is the lack of understanding of the fundamental processes that underlie operation. Working in the Bischak Lab, my project involves the electropolymerization and characterization of thiophene-based polymers and copolymers. Using electropolymerization, I synthesize several polythiophenes with different side chain chemistries. Once created, I move on to characterize the polymers through various methods to learn more about the chemical and physical properties. After I graduate, I plan on attending an MD-PhD program, continuning my work in chemistry, and completing a surgical residency afterwards.
Here is a link to our website: https://www.bischaklab.com/