Recent Progress and Future Prospects in Transient Polymer Electronics

Transient electronics is a rapidly growing field thatfocuses onthe development of electronic materials that are intentionally degradedto environmentally and physiologically safe byproducts after a well-definedperiod of operation. The limited time frame of these materials makesthem potential candidates for use in areas such as biomedicine andwearable electronics as well as mitigating the growing problem ofelectronic waste. Polymer-based transient electronics is attractingincreasing interest due to its many advantages, including extensivechemical modification capabilities for transience and functionality,biocompatibility, and flexible and stretchable formats for electronics.In this Perspective, we discuss recent advances in the field of transientpolymer electronics, highlighting existing strategies for degradation:the use of composites of biodegradable polymers with conducting polymers,the synthesis of copolymers/block copolymers or graft copolymers ofconducting polymers with biodegradable polymers, the synthesis offully (bio)-degradable conjugated polymers with degradable conjugatedlinkers, and transience via dissolution of the conjugated polymers.We then highlight the applications of transient electronics basedon conducting polymers. Finally, we provide an outlook on the futureprospects in the field of transient polymer electronics and the challengesthat need to be overcome for transient electronics to fulfill itspromise in future electronic devices.