In Vivo Photopolymerization: Achieving Detailed Conducting Patterns for Bioelectronics

Area of Science:

• Bioelectronics
• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Introducing conductive structures in vivo for bioelectronic therapeutics faces challenges like inflammation and limited geometric control.
• Current in situ conductive polymer formation methods, such as enzymatic catalysis, suffer from slow kinetics and long curing times (hours to days).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel in vivo method for fabricating biocompatible conductive structures with precise spatial control.
• To enable rapid, patterned formation of conductive materials within biological environments for advanced bioelectronic applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized photopolymerization of novel photoactive monomers (3Es, EDOT-trimers) and a PEDOT-S derivative (A5) using visible light (green and red).
• Employed photolithography masks to define the spatial patterns of the conductive structures formed in situ.
• Adapted the photopolymerization process for in vivo conditions, achieving short curing times.

Main Results:

• Successfully formed biocompatible conductive structures via in vivo photopolymerization.
• Achieved rapid curing times ranging from 5 to 30 minutes.
• Demonstrated the ability to create specific, patterned, and layered conductive structures, unlike basic in situ methods.

Conclusions:

• In vivo photopolymerization offers a promising approach for creating spatially defined, biocompatible conductive structures.
• This method overcomes the limitations of diffusion-controlled enzymatic catalysis, enabling faster fabrication and complex 3D circuit designs.
• The developed technique opens new avenues for advanced in vivo bioelectronic therapeutics and devices.