[Seminar] Bio-Derived and Biodegradable Materials for Bioelectronics

Title: Bio-Derived and Biodegradable Materials for Bioelectronics

Speaker: Michael Daniele

From: North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina

Abstract: The rapid expansion and imminent ubiquity of the Internet-of-Things (IoT) underscore the urgency of addressing sustainability challenges in the production, distribution, and operation of electronic devices and microsystems. Traditional electronics packaging and manufacturing methods face significant scalability barriers due to their reliance on non-sustainable materials and resource-intensive fabrication processes. This lecture explores our research efforts aimed at developing biodegradable materials and bioelectronics compatible with conventional microfabrication processes, bridging the current paradigm in microelectronics with future recyclable and sustainable electronics. Our investigations have focused on engineering a range of materials including nanocellulose, biodegradable elastomers, and nanocomposite conductors, each offering unique properties crucial for overcoming challenges in electronics packaging and design such as mechanical resilience, electrical conductivity, and hybrid processing capabilities. These materials have been demonstrated in flexible circuit boards and bioelectronic devices, with particular emphasis on applications in electrophysiology, recyclable nodes, and electrochemical sensing. Through these innovations in material science and bioelectronics, we aim to enable a more sustainable electronics enterprise.

Bio: Dr. Daniele is a Professor and University Faculty Scholar in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the co-director of the North Carolina Viral Vector Initiative in Research And Learning (NC VVIRAL) and the NC State Institute for Connected Sensors-Systems (IConS). In 2019, Michael co-founded and is the Chief Science Officer of DermiSense, a medical device start-up developing blood-free diagnostics. Dr. Daniele’s primary area of interest is the engineering of materials and microsystems for biosensors, bioelectronics, microphysiological systems, and other biotechnologies which monitor, mimic or augment biological functions.