Silk Fibroin-Based Conductive Hydrogels for Flexible Electronic Devices

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Conductive hydrogels are crucial for flexible electronic devices.
• Silk fibroin (SF) offers biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical strength, making it ideal for next-generation electronics.
• SF-based materials present sustainable alternatives to conventional electronic device components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the progress of silk fibroin (SF)-based conductive hydrogels.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of fabrication strategies, including conductive design, structural engineering, and cross-linking.
• To outline the applications of SF-based conductive hydrogels in various fields.

Main Methods:

• Summarizing fabrication strategies for SF-based conductive hydrogels.
• Reviewing conductive design principles and structural engineering approaches.
• Compiling research on cross-linking methods for SF hydrogels.

Main Results:

• SF-based conductive hydrogels can be fabricated through various design and engineering strategies.
• These hydrogels demonstrate diverse applications in bioelectronics, capacitors, batteries, biosensors, and wearable sensors.
• The review highlights the potential of SF in creating advanced flexible electronic devices.

Conclusions:

• SF-based conductive hydrogels are promising for biocompatible and biodegradable electronics.
• Further research is needed to address current challenges and explore future directions.
• SF materials offer a sustainable pathway for the development of advanced flexible electronic devices.