Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers

Abstract The manipulation of electronic polymers’ solid-state properties through processing is crucial in electronics and energy research. Yet, efficiently processing electronic polymer solutions into thin films with specific properties remains a formidable challenge. We introduce Polybot, an artifi...

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Main Authors: Chengshi Wang, Yeon-Ju Kim, Aikaterini Vriza, Rohit Batra, Arun Baskaran, Naisong Shan, Nan Li, Pierre Darancet, Logan Ward, Yuzi Liu, Maria K. Y. Chan, Subramanian K.R.S. Sankaranarayanan, H. Christopher Fry, C. Suzanne Miller, Henry Chan, Jie Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55655-3
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author Chengshi Wang
Yeon-Ju Kim
Aikaterini Vriza
Rohit Batra
Arun Baskaran
Naisong Shan
Nan Li
Pierre Darancet
Logan Ward
Yuzi Liu
Maria K. Y. Chan
Subramanian K.R.S. Sankaranarayanan
H. Christopher Fry
C. Suzanne Miller
Henry Chan
Jie Xu
author_facet Chengshi Wang
Yeon-Ju Kim
Aikaterini Vriza
Rohit Batra
Arun Baskaran
Naisong Shan
Nan Li
Pierre Darancet
Logan Ward
Yuzi Liu
Maria K. Y. Chan
Subramanian K.R.S. Sankaranarayanan
H. Christopher Fry
C. Suzanne Miller
Henry Chan
Jie Xu
author_sort Chengshi Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The manipulation of electronic polymers’ solid-state properties through processing is crucial in electronics and energy research. Yet, efficiently processing electronic polymer solutions into thin films with specific properties remains a formidable challenge. We introduce Polybot, an artificial intelligence (AI) driven automated material laboratory designed to autonomously explore processing pathways for achieving high-conductivity, low-defect electronic polymers films. Leveraging importance-guided Bayesian optimization, Polybot efficiently navigates a complex 7-dimensional processing space. In particular, the automated workflow and algorithms effectively explore the search space, mitigate biases, employ statistical methods to ensure data repeatability, and concurrently optimize multiple objectives with precision. The experimental campaign yields scale-up fabrication recipes, producing transparent conductive thin films with averaged conductivity exceeding 4500 S/cm. Feature importance analysis and morphological characterizations reveal key design factors. This work signifies a significant step towards transforming the manufacturing of electronic polymers, highlighting the potential of AI-driven automation in material science.
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issn 2041-1723
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spelling doaj-art-6b36db094ca04776afa44936d598bf872025-08-20T03:11:07ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-02-0116111010.1038/s41467-024-55655-3Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymersChengshi Wang0Yeon-Ju Kim1Aikaterini Vriza2Rohit Batra3Arun Baskaran4Naisong Shan5Nan Li6Pierre Darancet7Logan Ward8Yuzi Liu9Maria K. Y. Chan10Subramanian K.R.S. Sankaranarayanan11H. Christopher Fry12C. Suzanne Miller13Henry Chan14Jie Xu15Nanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryPritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of ChicagoPritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of ChicagoNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryData Science and Learning Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryNanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National LaboratoryAbstract The manipulation of electronic polymers’ solid-state properties through processing is crucial in electronics and energy research. Yet, efficiently processing electronic polymer solutions into thin films with specific properties remains a formidable challenge. We introduce Polybot, an artificial intelligence (AI) driven automated material laboratory designed to autonomously explore processing pathways for achieving high-conductivity, low-defect electronic polymers films. Leveraging importance-guided Bayesian optimization, Polybot efficiently navigates a complex 7-dimensional processing space. In particular, the automated workflow and algorithms effectively explore the search space, mitigate biases, employ statistical methods to ensure data repeatability, and concurrently optimize multiple objectives with precision. The experimental campaign yields scale-up fabrication recipes, producing transparent conductive thin films with averaged conductivity exceeding 4500 S/cm. Feature importance analysis and morphological characterizations reveal key design factors. This work signifies a significant step towards transforming the manufacturing of electronic polymers, highlighting the potential of AI-driven automation in material science.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55655-3
spellingShingle Chengshi Wang
Yeon-Ju Kim
Aikaterini Vriza
Rohit Batra
Arun Baskaran
Naisong Shan
Nan Li
Pierre Darancet
Logan Ward
Yuzi Liu
Maria K. Y. Chan
Subramanian K.R.S. Sankaranarayanan
H. Christopher Fry
C. Suzanne Miller
Henry Chan
Jie Xu
Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers
Nature Communications
title Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers
title_full Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers
title_fullStr Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers
title_full_unstemmed Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers
title_short Autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers
title_sort autonomous platform for solution processing of electronic polymers
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55655-3
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