# Agar-Based Resistive Switching Memory for Neuromorphic Applications

## TL;DR

A biodegradable memory device made from agar shows stable performance and brain-like behavior, making it suitable for sustainable neuromorphic computing.

## Contribution

A fully biodegradable, forming-free Bio-RRAM using potassium-doped agar with synaptic plasticity for neuromorphic applications.

## Key findings

- The device achieves stable ON/OFF ratios over 10^3 and retention beyond 10^4 seconds.
- It exhibits synaptic plasticity behaviors like potentiation, depression, and multilevel conductance states.
- The design is fully biodegradable and free from complex hybrid structures.

## Abstract

With the growing
demand for sustainable and brain-inspired electronics,
biobased resistive random-access memory (Bio-RRAM) has emerged as
a promising alternative to conventional inorganic devices. However,
most reported Bio-RRAMs still suffer from formation requirements,
unstable ON/OFF ratios, or complex hybrid structures, limiting their
practical use in neuromorphic computing. Here, we demonstrate a potassium-doped
agar Bio-RRAM that overcomes these challenges through a simple, fully
biodegradable design. The optimized device achieves forming-free bipolar
switching, a stable ON/OFF ratio over 103, stable and reproducible
switching cycles, and retention beyond 104 s. More importantly,
the device also exhibits synaptic plasticity behaviors, including
potentiation, depression, paired-pulse facilitation and depression,
and multilevel conductance states, highlighting its feasibility for
neuromorphic computing. These findings demonstrate that agar-based
bioelectronics can serve as a promising route toward next-generation
sustainable memory systems.