IIT: Toothpaste-based transistor

2024: Product Announcement

In late September 2024, researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology announced the development of the world's first edible transistor based on toothpaste components. Elements of a new type can form the basis of ingested medical devices for health control.

The transistor uses copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), a blue pigment that is used in some toothpastes as a whitening agent. It is estimated that the average person consumes about 1 mg of CuPc during brushing twice a day: this is enough to make about 12.5 thousand transistors. Thus, elements of a new type will not harm the body.

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The chemical structure of copper phthalocyanine promotes charge conductivity, which allows it to be used as a semiconductor in organic electronics. The researchers talk about the possibility of creating diagnostic devices that include sensors to determine the level of enzymes and assess the state of the gastrointestinal tract. After the completion of the study, such devices will dissolve without risk to health.

When creating an edible transistor, the project participants used an ethyl cellulose substrate with printed electrical contacts based on a solution of gold particles. The device is capable of operating at a voltage of less than 1 V. The circuit with such transistors can remain stable for up to one year, which makes it possible to conduct long-term research. Edible electronics are theoretically capable of not only collecting diagnostic indicators, but also releasing drugs. It is assumed that the achievement will make diagnosis, treatment and prevention much more accessible, faster and inexpensive.^[1]

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