A Nonswelling Hydrogel with Regenerable High Wet Tissue Adhesion for Bioelectronics

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Tissue Engineering
• Bioelectronics

Background:

• Reducing swelling in tissue-adhesive hydrogels is vital for stable adhesion and reduced inflammation.
• Current strategies to reduce swelling compromise hydrogel adhesive strength.
• Existing hydrogels lack regenerable adhesive properties after bond breakage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a nonswelling hydrogel with high and regenerable tissue adhesive strength.
• To overcome the limitations of existing hydrogels regarding swelling and adhesion.
• To explore the potential of the novel hydrogel in soft bioelectronic applications.

Main Methods:

• Copolymerization and crosslinking of poly(vinyl butyral) with acrylic acid, gelatin, and chitosan-grafted N-acetyl-l-cysteine.
• Characterization of the hydrogel's tissue adhesive strength and regenerability.
• Integration of the hydrogel into soft bioelectronic devices for monitoring muscle fatigue.

Main Results:

• A novel nonswelling hydrogel (PAACP) was successfully synthesized.
• PAACP exhibited a high tissue adhesive strength of 211.4 kPa, significantly exceeding existing nonswelling hydrogels.
• The hydrogel demonstrated reusable adhesive properties and successful application in monitoring muscle fatigue via integrated sensors.

Conclusions:

• The developed PAACP hydrogel offers a significant advancement in nonswelling, high-adhesion biomaterials.
• Its regenerable adhesive properties and biocompatibility open new avenues for medical applications.
• The hydrogel's successful integration into soft bioelectronics highlights its potential for long-term health monitoring and prosthetic devices.