High-performance data storage devices dissolve in water
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that a joint research team, led by Dr. Sangho Cho from the Center for Extreme Materials Research and Dr. Yongho Joo from the Center for Functional Composite Materials Research, has developed a polymeric material that provides high-performance data storage while fully degrading within days when immersed in water.
The data storage material is biocompatible and sufficiently stable for implantation in the human body. The onset of degradation can be controlled by adjusting the thickness and composition of the protective layer. Once this layer dissolves, the material naturally degrades in water within approximately three days, leaving no residue.
Although water-soluble electronic devices have been previously developed, they have generally faced issues with poor data storage, limited performance, and vulnerability to repeated mechanical stress. To overcome these problems, the KIST research team designed a new molecular structure (PCL-TEMPO) that combines TEMPO, an organic molecule capable of storing electrical information-with polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polymer. This innovative design allows for both electrical signal storage and natural degradation within a single molecular system.
The data storage device made from this material demonstrated excellent signal discrimination, successfully distinguishing between ON and OFF states over one million cycles. It also reliably retained stored data for more than 10,000 seconds. Furthermore, the data storage device showed no degradation after more than 250 write-erase cycles or after being bent over 3,000 times.
Not limited to implantable medical devices, the data storage technology also demonstrates potential for use in disposable healthcare monitoring systems, surgical implants that naturally degrade after surgery, eco-friendly data storage units, and single-use military reconnaissance tools. In particular, its capacity to be absorbed into the body without needing surgical removal could significantly lessen patient discomfort and healthcare expenses. Furthermore, this technology tackles the growing issue of e-waste and supports global efforts towards carbon neutrality.
“This achievement is technologically significant as it marks the first example of integrating physical self-destruction into a high-performance organic memory device,” said Dr. Sangho Cho. “In the future, we aim to evolve this into an ‘intelligent transient electronic device’ by incorporating self-healing and photo-responsive capabilities, accelerating the commercialisation of next-generation bioelectronics and eco-friendly devices.”
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202422826
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