Michael Chabinyc

· NAI Professor, MaterialsVerified

University of California, Santa Barbara · Materials

Active 1995–2026

h-index85

Citations28.0k

Papers40978 last 5y

Funding$3.7M

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About

Michael Chabinyc is a professor in the Materials Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research group focuses on the study of functional thin film materials, particularly semiconductors used in electronic devices such as transistors, solar cells, and thermoelectrics. His work involves both organic and inorganic semiconducting materials, utilizing a combination of physical characterization methods to elucidate their electronic and structural properties. Additional research interests include functional polymers for sensing and actuation. Dr. Chabinyc holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Dayton. He is recognized as a Fellow of the Materials Research Society, the American Physical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the National Academy of Inventors. His contributions to the field are centered on advancing the understanding and development of thin film materials for electronic applications.

Research topics

Computer Science
Materials science
Engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Nanotechnology
Chemical engineering
Crystallography
Chemistry
Physical chemistry
Physics
Manufacturing engineering
Business
Polymer science
Chemical physics
Systems engineering
Composite material
Electrical engineering

Selected publications

Electrostatic Complexation of Conjugated and Bottlebrush Polyelectrolytes Forms Printable, Conductive Inks
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces · 2026-01-09
articleSenior authorCorresponding
Electrostatic complexation of polyelectrolytes is a versatile and powerful method for forming blends of polymers that would phase-separate without the presence of ionic groups. Mixing solutions of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes can lead to liquid-liquid phase separation, providing a polymer-dense phase that allows electrostatic complexes to be readily processed. The design rules for forming electrostatic complexes of functional polyelectrolytes, processable by direct ink writing, were examined using conjugated polyelectrolytes, which provide electrical conductivity, and bottlebrush polyelectrolytes, which provide control of mechanical properties. Water-soluble conjugated polyelectrolytes based on sulfonated poly(3-alkylthiophene) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) were examined. The sulfonated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) is electrically self-doped in water, while the sulfonated poly(3-alkylthiophene) remains electrically neutral. The influence of the resulting charge fraction of the ionic groups on electrostatic compatibilization, printability, and the resulting electrical and electromechanical properties of complexes with a model bottlebrush polyelectrolyte were examined. In both cases, the rheological behavior of the complex allowed for direct ink writing into thick, patterned structures. The dried complexes show sufficient electrical conductivity, paired with stretchability and adhesive properties, for applications in organic electronics requiring thick semiconducting materials, such as bioelectronic sensors and conductive adhesives.
Publisher DOI
Ion-Containing Bottlebrush Elastomers as Pressure-Sensitive Electroadhesives
arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-04-06
articleOpen access
This study presents a materials-design framework for low-voltage pressure-sensitive electroadhesives based on ion-containing bottlebrush polymers that combine the on-demand reversibility of traditional electroadhesives with the tunable conformability typical of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). Two complementary bottlebrush polymers bearing pendant flexible side chains and independently tunable anionic or cationic groups were designed to form soft and tough elastomers after crosslinking. When the two oppositely charged bottlebrush networks were brought into contact, a smooth, continuous interface formed, which is locally charge neutral due to the presence of mobile counterions. At low voltages (less than 2 V), mobile ions migrate toward the electrodes, creating an interfacial heterojunction and significant electrostatic attraction that enhances adhesion, yielding an on/off ratio of up to more than 4.5. The low-voltage operation and PSA-like mechanics of bottlebrush electroadhesives, even at charge density as low as 18 C/g, create opportunities in applications such as soft robots, haptic devices, and biomedical devices.
Publisher OA PDF
Ion-Containing Bottlebrush Elastomers as Pressure-Sensitive Electroadhesives
arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-04-06
preprintOpen access
This study presents a materials-design framework for low-voltage pressure-sensitive electroadhesives based on ion-containing bottlebrush polymers that combine the on-demand reversibility of traditional electroadhesives with the tunable conformability typical of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). Two complementary bottlebrush polymers bearing pendant flexible side chains and independently tunable anionic or cationic groups were designed to form soft and tough elastomers after crosslinking. When the two oppositely charged bottlebrush networks were brought into contact, a smooth, continuous interface formed, which is locally charge neutral due to the presence of mobile counterions. At low voltages (less than 2 V), mobile ions migrate toward the electrodes, creating an interfacial heterojunction and significant electrostatic attraction that enhances adhesion, yielding an on/off ratio of up to more than 4.5. The low-voltage operation and PSA-like mechanics of bottlebrush electroadhesives, even at charge density as low as 18 C/g, create opportunities in applications such as soft robots, haptic devices, and biomedical devices.
Publisher DOI
Toward a Consensus Characterization Protocol for Organic Thermoelectrics
Advanced Materials · 2026-02-05
articleOpen access
As the field of organic thermoelectrics advances toward maturity, an accurate and standardized reporting of performance metrics becomes essential to drive further progress and assess real-world viability. The common geometric form factors and material properties (conductivity, anisotropy, stability, etc.) differ from those of conventional bulk inorganic systems, and thus specific recommendations may apply. Herein, we compile prevalent points of concern in the reporting of thermoelectric performance for organic materials and devices. Moreover, we propose a list of critical factors and metrics that should be explicitly documented when reporting the performance of novel organic thermoelectric materials or devices.
Publisher DOI
Photophysical and Viscoelastic Properties of Ionically Complexed Conjugated Polyelectrolyte for Printed Soft Electronics
Advanced Functional Materials · 2025-07-06 · 3 citations
articleCorresponding
Abstract Conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) exhibit a strong interplay between ionic and electronic properties, enabling tunable photophysical properties and charge transport dynamics. Polyelectrolyte complexation represents a versatile self‐assembly strategy to control the properties of CPEs by forming dense phases with varying optoelectronic and mechanical characteristics. This study focuses on ionically assembled complexes comprising oppositely charged self‐doped CPE (CPE‐K) and bottlebrush polyelectrolyte (BPE). It is demonstrated that subtle adjustments in the composition of CPE‐K:BPE blends enables tuning of photophysical and viscoelastic properties. It is observed that increasing the CPE‐K:BPE monomeric ratio from 1:1 to 1:3 in the initial solution for complexation induces a significant bathochromic shift in the maximum photoluminescence intensity of the dense phase, from 1.8 to 1.4 eV. Additionally, a higher BPE content enhances the softness and adhesion of the solid complex, while maintaining yield‐stress behavior and cyclability of the dense phase. The ability to electrochemically and statically dope the CPE‐K–BPE complex, effectively modulating its charge transport and optoelectronic properties is also demonstrated. This work underscores the potential of these complex‐fluid phases for developing soft, adhesive, and elastic mixed ionic‐electronic conductors with tunable properties for functional applications and 3D‐printing.
Publisher DOI
Intrinsic Doping and Electrostatic Complexation of Sulfonated Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophenes) (PEDOTs)
ACS Macro Letters · 2025-09-21 · 2 citations
articleSenior authorCorresponding
Self-doped conjugated polymers represent a compelling strategy for forming conductive electrostatically complexed polymer blends without the need for additional processing steps for electronic doping. Although self-doped polymers simplify processing, fundamental questions remain about structure–property relationships and the role of doping in electrostatic complexation. A class of sulfonated PEDOT derivatives was investigated to study their self-doping behavior and the ability to form electrostatically mediated complexes with cationic polyelectrolytes. Remarkably, even a subtle change in side chain architecture (differing by only a single carbon) influenced the electrical conductivity, with the shorter side chain exhibiting values up to ≈500 S cm–1, roughly 1000 times higher than its longer-chain counterpart. Comprehensive spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses were performed to gain insight into the origin of the behavior. These self-doped conjugated polyelectrolytes maintain high electrical conductivity (≈300 S cm–1), even after complexation with an insulating polyelectrolyte. The phase behavior of complexation revealed the ability to define an effective charge fraction of ionic groups per monomer that can guide the design of electrostatically complex conjugated polyelectrolytes.
Publisher DOI
Two-step spin-coating of vacancy-ordered double perovskites enables growth of thin films for electronic devices
Journal of Materials Chemistry C · 2025-01-01 · 1 citations
articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding
A two-step process was developed to spin-coat thin films of the vacancy-ordered double perovskite, Cs 2 TeX 6 . These films enabled characterization of the electronic transport properties of Cs 2 TeBr 6 .
Publisher OA PDF DOI
Tilting the way to organic thermoelectrics
Nature Materials · 2025-05-15 · 1 citations
article1st authorCorresponding
Publisher DOI
Role of Ionization Energy on Mixed Conduction in Polythiophene-Derived Polyelectrolyte Complexes
ACS Macro Letters · 2025-06-16 · 2 citations
articleCorresponding
Conjugated polyelectrolyte complexes formed by the electrostatic compatibilization between a conjugated and an insulating polyelectrolyte are a versatile design platform for highly processable, high performing polymeric mixed ion–electron conductors. While electrostatic mediation in complexes allows for structure and property control, a fundamental understanding of how the properties of the constituent conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) translate to the resulting complex performance is necessary for future designs. To investigate the role of CPE architecture on the overall charge transport properties of the resulting complex properties, here we compare a water-soluble cationic poly(alkoxythiophene) derivative based on poly(3-alkoxy-4-methylthiophene) with an imidazolium pendant unit and bromide counterion to an analogous complex with poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate). Through spectroscopic, morphological, electrochemical, and charge transport characterization, we find that poly(alkoxythiophene)-based complexes exhibit high mixed conductivity, enhanced electrochemical stability, improved doping efficiency, and lower oxidation potential, relative to previously reported poly(3-alkylthiophene)-based complexes, making them more suitable candidates for electrochemical applications. Importantly, both CPE and complex films based on the poly(3-alkoxy-4-methylthiophene) chemistry display electronic conductivities on the order of 10–2–10–3 S/cm and impressive ionic conductivities up to the order of 10–4 S/cm, despite the ordered morphology of the 3-alkoxy-4-methylthiophene backbone. We make a key observation that the enhancement of the electronic conductivity of the CPE from an alkyl to alkoxythiophene backbone does not necessarily improve the electronic conduction of the resulting complex as observed in previous reports, thereby underscoring the role of complexation thermodynamics, dielectric strength of the electrostatic complex, and complex morphology on mixed conduction. This study provides fundamental insights governing future design rules of mixed-conducting polyelectrolyte complexes for next-generation energy applications.
Publisher DOI
Data from: Electrostatic complexation of conjugated and bottlebrush polyelectrolytes forms printable conductive inks
Open MIND · 2025-10-19
datasetSenior author
Electrostatic complexation enables blending of otherwise immiscible polymers by liquid–liquid phase separation, forming a polymer-rich phase suitable for processing. We explored design rules for processable complexes using electrically conductive conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) and mechanically tunable bottlebrush polyelectrolytes (BPEs). Sulfonated polythiophene and self-doped sulfonated PEDOT were examined to study how charge fraction influences compatibilization, printability, and properties. The resulting CPE: BPE complexes exhibited rheology suitable for direct ink writing into thick patterned structures. Upon drying, they combined electrical conductivity with elasticity and adhesiveness, enabling applications in soft, thick, semiconducting materials.
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