New research from the University of St Andrews has shown that organic semiconductor materials can be used to develop human-friendly, recyclable and sustainable temperature sensors for use in everyday electronic devices. The new concept could then lead to a cleaner and more efficient future.
Revolutionary Temperature Sensors
TADF materials are a new class of materials that could replace the expensive rare-earth metal-containing phosphorescent complexes used in many organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and to explore them, Professor Eli Zysman-Colman from the School of Chemistry led the research.
TADF materials have a lot of impact in the OLED sector., but it has not been researched in other organic electronics devices for example, sensors. Published today in Nature Communications, the new study addresses this lack and highlights the tremendous potential afforded by TADF compounds in colourimetric temperature sensing.
Researchers have created an organic TADF compound with a larger optical, temperature-sensitive range than other existing organic optical thermometric agents. This could lead to significantly more precise, as well as more adaptable temperature detection, with uses that span a number of industries — from health care to consumer electronics.
There Is More Green to Temperature Sensing
One of the main advantages that it brings is its stand as a TADF-based temperature sensor. Conventional temperature sensors typically employ materials that are expensive to produce or toxic. By contrast, the organic TADF compound developed by the University of St Andrews team consists entirely of renewable and eco-friendly materials, making it a more sustainable alternative.
In a world that is becoming ever more cognizant of our carbon footprint and the environmental damage caused by day-to-day devices, there is a necessity to move toward greener technology. In the context of an ever-increasing requirement for sustainable and energy efficient solutions, their exploitation into temperature sensors is a major advance towards such new materials.
Additionally, the broad temperature applicability of TADF-based sensors, especially within operating conditions relevant to physiological temperatures, could spur new applications for temperature detection in packaged goods and health monitoring as well as provide a robust solution to explore industrial processes rapidly. This versatility and adaptability allows the organic semiconductor-based temperature sensor to be applied in various scenarios, which can also aid towards a more energy-efficient future.
Conclusion
Research conducted by the University of St Andrews features a groundbreaking discovery in potential materials used for everyday technology, which showed that organic semiconductor materials could be harnessed to develop more sustainable temperature sensors. Utilising the distinctive traits of TADF compounds, the study team developed a sensor which is not only capable of covering a broader range concerning both spectral and temperature values but also in harmony with the increasing strive for green solutions. The result is a greener, more energy efficient future where temperature sensing can be incorporated into a broad range of applications — from healthcare to consumer electronics — without being an environmental threat.
