Melanin a ‘bio-friendly’ semiconductor
The study points to a new way of interfacing conventional electronics to biological systems using a combination of ion-and-electron conducting biomaterials. Image: amphotora/iStockphoto Melanin – the pigment that colours skin, eyes and hair – could soon be the face of a new generation of biologically friendly electronic devices used in applications such as medical sensors and tissue stimulation treatments.Led by Professor Paul Meredith and Associate Professor Ben Powell at The University of Queensland, an international team of scientists has published a study that for the first time gives remarkable insight into the electrical properties of this pigment and its biologically compatible “bioelectronic” features.“Semiconductors are arguably the most important modern day high-tech material – they drive all modern electronics,” said Professor Meredith.“The majority of semiconductors are made from inorganic elements or compounds such as silicon or gallium arsenide.”Organic semiconductors, on the other hand, are a relatively new member of the semiconductor family and...