Chitosan/MXene hydrogels for biomedical and self-powered health-monitoring bioelectronics: Challenges and strategic...

The convergence of biomedical engineering and flexible bioelectronics demands materials with high biocompatibility, mechanical flexibility, and multifunctionality. Chitosan/MXene hydrogels address these needs by coupling the exceptional electrical conductivity and structural reinforcement of MXenes with the biodegradability, antibacterial activity, and tissue-friendly characteristics of chitosan. Through tailored fabrication routes, such as physical and chemical crosslinking, freeze-thaw or cryogenic processing, and composite network engineering, these systems have been adapted into hydrogels, aerogels, cryogels, and porous sponges suited for diverse biomedical functions. Their performance has enabled advances in wound healing, tissue regeneration, drug and gene delivery, bilirubin removal, and cancer theranostics. Parallel developments in flexible electronics have further allowed their integration into triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), piezoelectric sensors, and self-healing devices for self-powered/energy-harvesting health monitoring and continuous physiological signal detection. Persistent challenges remain, including MXene oxidation, long-term in vivo stability, and large-scale manufacturing. Strategic approaches, such as protective surface functionalization, optimized crosslinking chemistry, and encapsulation frameworks have shown promise in mitigating these limitations. Looking forward, emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), AI/ML-driven design tools may accelerate the optimization of composition-structure-performance relationships, offering new opportunities for advancing chitosan/MXene hydrogels toward next-generation biomedical and self-powered bioelectronic systems.