Conjugated Materials and Organic Electronics

University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario
What the facility does

Materials chemistry and engineering; Chemical and physical sensors (liquid and gas); Stretchable electronics; Printed electronics; Polymer synthesis and characterization

Areas of expertise

Our ability to conduct this state-of-the-art research program in materials science, developing innovative materials, strongly depends on our capacity to assess the mechanical and thermal properties of materials. Simon Rondeau-Gagné is an expert in soft materials and organic electronics, and his research aims to develop new stretchable and self-healable conjugated materials for (bio)electronic applications such as field-effect transistors and sensors. The research performed at this facility is at the forefront of electronics and materials chemistry, two important areas of materials science. This unique facility includes many instruments for the complete evaluation of the mechanical and electric properties of natural, industrial and synthetic (bio)materials, including polymers and gels. In addition to purity determination and complete materials characterization, this facility also includes all the proper tools to develop new materials for a wide variety of applications, including sensors and electronics. This new infrastructure contributes to our capabilities in organic electronics, materials engineering, nanoreactor development, biomedical device preparation, and more.

Research services

Soft materials development (polymers, gels, small molecules): synthetic platform that includes glassware, hot plates and stirrers, evaporators, ovens and other tools to develop and prepare tailor-made materials and compounds.

Polymer and materials characterization: Characterization platform that includes: gel permeation chromatography, (GPC) for evaluating molecular weights and sample dispersity; dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) for evaluating glass transition temperatures, thermal transitions, rheological properties and general mechanical properties.

Materials processing in thin films: Processing platform that includes: spin coater and sonicator for processing various materials in thin films, ranging from few microns to few nanometers.

Sensor development: Characterization platform that includes: advanced flow management system to evaluate gas sensors in various conditions; ultra-high resolution source-measure unit for evaluating the electronic and electrical properties of materials and devices, and for the preparation of custom-made sensors for various (bio)analytes in liquids and gas.

Sectors of application
  • Chemical industries
  • Clean technology
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
  • Manufacturing and processing
EquipmentFunction
Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) High-Temperature system, Tosoh EcoSECGPC system to evaluate molecular weight, sample purity and dispersity, at temperature ranging from 20 to 200°C
Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) TA Instruments DMA 850DMA system to evaluate thermal transitions, including glass transition temperatures, and rheological properties of soft materials
Source Measurement Unit, Keithley 4200-SCS semiconductor characterization systemSource Measurement Unit (SMU) for electrical characterization (resistance, voltage, current, impedance, capacitance, etc.) of electroactive materials
Materials Synthesis Platform Glassware, hot plates and stirrers, evaporators, ovens and other tools
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Bruker NanoScopeMicroscope for nanoscale and microscale imaging of surfaces and materials
  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
  • PolyAnalytik
  • Imperial Oil
  • Aphria
  • Cascade
  • Canadian Light Source (CLS)
  • Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS)