Engineering Antifouling Conducting Polymers for Modern Biomedical Applications

Conducting polymers are considered to be favorable electrode materials for implanted biosensors and bioelectronics, because their mechanical properties are similar to those of biological tissues such as nerve and brain tissues. However, one of the primary challenges for implanted devices is to prevent the unwanted protein adhesion or cell binding within biological fluids. The nonspecific adsorption generally causes the malfunction of implanted devices, which is problematic for long-term applications. When responding to the requirements of solving the problems caused by nonspecific adsorption, an increasing number of studies on antifouling conducting polymers has been recently published. In this review, synthetic strategies for preparing antifouling conducting polymers, including direct synthesis of functional monomers and post-functionalization, are introduced. The applications of antifouling conducting polymers in modern biomedical applications are particularly highlighted. This paper presents focuses on the features of antifouling conducting polymers and the challenges of modern biomedical applications.