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Preparation of DNA-crosslinked Polyacrylamide Hydrogels
Published on: August 27, 2014
Ag-Anchored Ti3C2Tx-Polyacrylamide Hydrogels with Interlayer Electron Bridges for Stretchable Bioelectronics and
Bangul Khan1,2, Bilawal Khan3, Weibin Zhu1,2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedicine, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR999077, China.
ACS Applied Bio Materials
|July 21, 2026
Summary
This study presents a novel stretchable hydrogel with silver nanoparticles and MXene for advanced bioelectronic applications. The material offers exceptional stretchability, robust sensing, and therapeutic heating capabilities for wearable devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Stretchable hydrogels are crucial for bioelectronic devices but face challenges in balancing mechanical properties with electrical performance.
- Existing materials often compromise conductivity or stability under strain, limiting their clinical applicability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly stretchable, conductive, and multifunctional hydrogel for advanced bioelectronic applications.
- To create a stable platform for high-fidelity physiological monitoring and targeted therapeutic heating.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a silver-anchored Ti3C2Tx-polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel with a hierarchical structure.
- Characterization of mechanical properties (stretchability, toughness, self-recovery) and electrical transport.
- Evaluation of electro-mechanical sensing performance (sEMG, ECG) and skin-electrode impedance.
- Assessment of photothermal actuation for therapeutic heating and biocompatibility (fibroblast viability, antibacterial activity).
Main Results:
- Achieved ultra-stretchability (~2036%) and high toughness (~2350 kJ m-3) with rapid self-recovery.
- Demonstrated stable, high-fidelity electro-mechanical sensing with low skin-electrode impedance, outperforming commercial electrodes.
- Successfully captured sEMG (SNR ~30 dB) and ECG (SNR ~26.157 dB) signals with 5-day stability in human tests.
- Exhibited reproducible photothermal heating (~74 °C) for tunable therapy, >90% fibroblast viability, and significant S. aureus inhibition.
Conclusions:
- The developed Ag-anchored MXene-PAM hydrogel offers a unified design for multifunctional soft electronics.
- This platform enables advanced wearable physiological monitoring and NIR-assisted therapy with clinical potential.
- The study establishes a design principle for creating robust, adaptable bioelectronic hydrogels.
