Self-healable and stretchable electrochemical sensor for sweat glucose detection

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Wearable sensors offer non-invasive health monitoring but degrade with use.
• Developing self-healing and stretchable materials is crucial for durable wearable devices.
• Existing flexible sensors face challenges with mechanical stress and longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate an in-situ self-healing and stretchable sweat glucose sensor.
• To evaluate the sensor's mechanical robustness, self-healing properties, and electrochemical performance.
• To demonstrate the sensor's capability for accurate glucose detection in human sweat.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a self-healable elastomer (PDMS0.9-IPDI) coated with gold.
• Modification of the sensing area with polypyrrole and glucose oxidase.
• Testing of electromechanical recovery after fracture and sensing stability under strain (up to 50%).

Main Results:

• The sensor demonstrated self-healing capabilities within 4 hours at room temperature via dynamic hydrogen bonds.
• Stable sensing properties were maintained under 50% strain, suitable for skin integration.
• Enhanced electrochemical active area and high sensitivity (62.60 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²) with a low detection limit (12.58 μM) were achieved.

Conclusions:

• The developed sensor offers a promising solution for durable, non-invasive glucose monitoring.
• Its self-healing and stretchable nature addresses key limitations of current wearable health devices.
• This technology provides a novel pathway for practical applications in wearable sweat glucose sensing.