Biovegan Leather Sensor: A Mycelium Functionalized Material for Electrophysiological Signal Monitoring

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Traditional dry electrodes for wearable electronics face limitations due to non-degradability and complex functionalization.
• Mycelium-based biovegan leather presents a biodegradable and easily prepared alternative for flexible electrode applications.
• Pure mycelium materials often struggle with mechanical performance and stability challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel mycelium-polypyrrole composite material (P-MCM) for enhanced flexible electrode performance.
• To address the mechanical and stability limitations of pure mycelium for practical electrode applications.
• To create a suitable material for daily monitoring of human electrophysiological signals.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a mycelium-polypyrrole composite material (P-MCM).
• Characterization of the mechanical properties, including tensile strength and elongation at break.
• Evaluation of electrical properties, such as conductivity and interface impedance.
• Testing of electrode-skin system performance for physiological signal acquisition.

Main Results:

• The P-MCM composite demonstrated a tensile strength of 3 MPa and an elongation at break of 13%.
• Achieved a conductivity of 51.10 S/m and an interface impedance of 52.6 kΩ/cm² at 10 Hz.
• P-MCM electrodes enabled stable acquisition of electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, comparable to commercial electrodes.

Conclusions:

• The developed P-MCM is a promising material for flexible electrodes in wearable electronics and physiological monitoring.
• This bio-based composite offers a viable, high-performance alternative to traditional electrode materials.
• The study provides foundational insights for advancing biodegradable and functional flexible electrode technologies.