Biocompatible, Antibacterial, and Stable Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Ionic Gel Multimodal Sensors for Healthcare...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional hydrogel sensors face limitations in mechanical properties and environmental stability.
• Water-based hydrogels are susceptible to dehydration and exhibit suboptimal performance under extreme conditions.
• Developing advanced materials for flexible electronics and biointegrated sensing requires robust and multifunctional alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the fabrication of multifunctional ionic gel sensors using deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as water replacements.
• To customize mechanical and conductive properties of ionic gels by combining distinct DESs.
• To evaluate the performance, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties of novel DES ionic gels.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of ionic gels using combinations of two distinct deep eutectic solvents (DESs).
• Comprehensive characterization of mechanical properties, optical transparency, and conductivity.
• Evaluation of performance under extreme temperature conditions (-70 to 80 °C) and wide strain ranges (1-400%).
• Assessment of biocompatibility and antibacterial activity against *Escherichia coli*.

Main Results:

• DES ionic gels exhibited superior mechanical properties, high optical transparency (94%), and excellent biocompatibility compared to traditional hydrogels.
• The ionic gels demonstrated robust performance across a wide temperature range (-70 to 80 °C) and strain sensitivity (1-400%).
• Significant antibacterial performance against *Escherichia coli* was observed.
• Successful application in human activity and vital sign monitoring was achieved.

Conclusions:

• Deep eutectic solvents offer a viable and advantageous alternative to water for fabricating high-performance ionic gel sensors.
• DES ionic gels present a versatile platform for flexible electronics, soft robotics, and biointegrated healthcare devices.
• The developed sensors show promise for applications requiring environmental stability, biocompatibility, and inherent antibacterial properties.