Electrochemical fabrication of a nonvolatile memory device based on polyaniline and gold particles

Abstract

In this work we describe a simple electrochemical process to fabricate an air stable nonvolatile memory device based on polyaniline (PANI) and gold (Au) particles in one step. The PANI and Au particle composite material was synthesized by cyclic voltammetry on a modified ITO glass in the room temperature ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tosylate [EMIM][Tos] containing 1 M trifluoroacetic acid. The Au particles were synthesized during electropolymerization of aniline and distributed in the PANI matrix. This is the first report of the electrochemical synthesis of such a material in an IL. This material can be used directly as an air stable nonvolatile memory device. Both bistability (switching) and negative differential resistance (NDR) were observed in this single layer device. The composite PANI:Au material was kept in air for 8 weeks and the NDR characteristic was still repeatable. That makes it possible to use these composite materials in printable electronics.