A Self-Healing Optoacoustic Patch with High Damage Threshold and Conversion Efficiency for Biomedical Applications.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Acoustics

Background:

• Optoacoustic devices offer advantages over piezoelectric devices, including simpler preparation and wireless power.
• Current limitations include low damage thresholds and energy conversion efficiency, hindering widespread adoption.
• Developing advanced materials is crucial for improving optoacoustic device performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible, self-healing optoacoustic patch with improved performance.
• To investigate the self-healing properties and high-intensity ultrasound generation capabilities.
• To evaluate the optoacoustic energy conversion efficiency and laser damage threshold.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a self-healing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite with carbon nanotubes (Fe-Hpdca-PDMS).
• Characterization of the material's self-healing ability at room temperature, including recovery from cutting and laser damage.
• Measurement of ultrasound intensity, laser damage threshold, and optoacoustic energy conversion efficiency.

Main Results:

• The developed optoacoustic patch exhibits self-healing capabilities at room temperature.
• It generates high-intensity ultrasound (>25 MPa) without a focusing structure.
• Achieved a laser damage threshold >183.44 mJ cm⁻² and an energy conversion efficiency of 10.66 × 10⁻³.
• Demonstrated successful applications in acoustic flow, thrombolysis, and wireless energy harvesting.

Conclusions:

• The novel Fe-Hpdca-PDMS composite enables the creation of robust, self-healing optoacoustic devices.
• The patch significantly improves upon existing optoacoustic technology in terms of efficiency and durability.
• This work provides a new platform for designing advanced ultrasound devices for diverse biomedical applications.