Self-Standing 3D-Printed PEGDA-PANIs Electroconductive Hydrogel Composites for pH Monitoring

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) enables novel applications in electronics and biomedical fields.
• Electrically conductive hydrogels (ECHs) are crucial for advanced sensor technologies.
• Polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and sulfonated polyaniline (PANIs) offer unique material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop flexible 3D-printed PEGDA-PANIs ECHs for pH monitoring.
• To investigate the properties of these composites compared to PEGDA-PANI.
• To assess their potential in biomedical and soft electronic applications.

Main Methods:

• Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing of PEGDA platforms.
• In situ chemical oxidative co-polymerization of aniline (ANI) and aniline 2-sulfonic acid (ANIs).
• Characterization using SEM, swelling degree, I-V, and electro-chemo-mechanical analyses.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of PEGDA-PANIs ECHs with enhanced electrochemical activity.
• Demonstrated suitability of PEGDA-PANIs as an electrode material for pH monitoring in biofluid ranges.
• Superior electromechanical behavior, swelling capacity, and water retention compared to PEGDA-PANI.

Conclusions:

• PEGDA-PANIs hydrogels are promising for pH monitoring due to their electrochemical properties.
• The developed material exhibits excellent electromechanical and swelling characteristics.
• These hydrogels represent a significant advancement for biocompatible electronic and soft tissue applications.