Photoactivable Surfactant Design for In Situ Stabilization of Hydrogel Bioelectronics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Conductive polymer hydrogels are promising for soft biointerfaces due to their mechanical and electrical properties.
• Integrating these hydrogels with hydrophobic materials is challenging, leading to poor adhesion and delamination in aqueous environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for in situ stabilization of conductive polymer hydrogels on hydrophobic substrates.
• To enhance the adhesion, stability, and performance of hydrogel-based biointerfaces.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a photoactivable surfactant (PAS) to reduce interfacial surface energy.
• Applied UV activation to form covalent bonds between the hydrogel and hydrophobic substrate.
• Investigated photopatterning capabilities and assessed mechanical and electrical property enhancements.

Main Results:

• Achieved strong adhesion and long-term stability of conductive hydrogels on hydrophobic substrates under wet conditions.
• Demonstrated successful photopatterning of hydrogels without performance compromise.
• Observed enhanced mechanical and electrical properties of PAS-integrated hydrogels.

Conclusions:

• The photoactivable surfactant (PAS) strategy provides a facile method for robust integration of conductive hydrogels with hydrophobic materials.
• PAS-enhanced hydrogel biointerfaces show reliable performance in aqueous environments and for in vivo electromyographic (EMG) signal recording.
• This approach holds significant potential for advancing implantable and wearable bioelectronics.