The concept of “egg computing” — using eggs or egg-derived materials (especially egg white/albumen) as functional dielectric, ionic or resistive layers in electronic devices — has emerged in recent years as a fascinating intersection of bio-materials and electronics. This article traces the milestones from early experiments in 2011 through to 2025, presenting a timeline of key papers and how the field has evolved (albumen research timeline).
Timeline of key milestones
2011 – Albumen as dielectric in organic field-effect transistors
One of the earliest demonstrations of egg-white (chicken albumen) used as a gate dielectric was published by Chang et al.: “Chicken albumen dielectrics in organic field‑effect transistors” (2011) — the authors spin-coated fresh egg-white film, thermally treated it, and used it in organic FETs (OFETs). (Wiley Online Library)
This work helped establish albumen as a viable bio-dielectric material in electronics (thus launching the “egg computing” story).
2013–2015 – From albumen dielectrics to bio-memristors
- In 2013, there were further works using albumen in thin-film transistors on eco-paper substrates. (ResearchGate)
- In 2015, the paper “Nonvolatile Bio‑Memristor Fabricated with Egg Albumen Film” (Chen et al., 2015) demonstrated a chicken-egg albumen based resistive switching memory (memristor) with on/off ratios >10³ and reliable switching. (Nature)
This shift marks a broader use of albumen beyond simply being a dielectric in FETs — to memory/resistive devices, pushing the “egg computing” concept into new territory.
2016–2022 – Diversification and proof-of-concept
During these years, albumen and other biomaterials found use in flexible electronics, memristors, bio-dielectrics and ionic devices. For example, a 2021 paper shows an egg albumen‐based biopolymer electrolyte enabling electric-double-layer (EDL) transistors on paper. (ResearchGate)
Other reviews highlight egg-white (albumen) as an “ideal material for organic electronics” given its ubiquity, processability and low cost. (spie.org)
2023 – MoS₂ + Egg Dielectric Breakthrough
In 2023, the paper “Biodegradable albumen dielectrics for high‑mobility MoS₂ phototransistors” (Pucher et al., 2023) demonstrated that a single-layer MoS₂ FET using egg-white dielectric could achieve mobilities up to ~90 cm²/V·s, much higher than comparable SiO₂-dielectric devices. (Nature) This marks a major leap in performance and credibility for albumen-based dielectrics in advanced 2D electronics.
2024–2025 – Toward AI hardware materials & flexible systems
While specific landmark papers in 2024–25 focusing solely on albumen may not yet be as widely cited, the broader trend is clear: bio-dielectrics, ionic gating, and biomaterials for flexible/biodegradable electronics are gaining traction. For example, neuromorphic/AI hardware platforms increasingly consider such materials. (PMC)
We can expect albumen (or “egg computing”) to continue evolving into integrated AI-hardware materials, flexible electronics, biodegradable systems, and beyond.
Why this matters
- Sustainability & bio-compatibility: Albumen is a readily available, biodegradable, and low-cost material.
- Ionic gating / high capacitance: It enables high capacitance via electric-double-layers, enabling low-voltage operation and high mobility.
- Flexible & unconventional substrate integration: Works on paper, flexible substrates, and in biomimetic devices.
- Bridging biology & electronics: “Egg computing” is a playful yet apt term for using egg-derived materials in computing/hardware contexts.
Outlook (2025 and beyond)
Looking forward, key directions include:
- Integration of albumen dielectrics with advanced 2D semiconductors (e.g., MoS₂, WSe₂) for high-performance, flexible, wearable, biodegradable electronics.
- Use in neuromorphic or AI-hardware systems (ionic transistors, memristors, synaptic devices) leveraging the ionic pathways in albumen.
- Large-scale manufacturing, reliability, stability and standardization of such bio-dielectric materials.
- Hybrid systems combining silicon/2D materials with bio-dielectrics for energy-efficient, environmentally friendly computing.
Summary
The “egg computing history” and “albumen research timeline” from 2011 to 2025 show a progression: from first OFETs using albumen dielectrics, to memristors, to high-mobility MoS₂ transistors, and now toward AI hardware materials. This timeline highlights how a humble biomaterial (egg white) can enter the frontier of electronics.