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An Additive Manufacturing Technique for the Facile and Rapid Fabrication of Hydrogel-based Micromachines with Magnetically Responsive Components
Published on: July 18, 2018
3D-printed implantable bioelectronics enabled by anti-swelling and biphasic conductive hydrogels
Yuan Yao1,2, Jianhua Luo3,4,5, Yue Hui6
1Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China. yaoyuan@westlake.edu.cn.
Nature Materials
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed novel anti-swelling hydrogels for implantable bioelectronics. These soft, stretchable materials enhance device stability and reduce biological rejection, enabling robust brain-computer interfaces and nerve stimulators.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Hydrogel bioelectronics offer potential for interfacing with biological systems.
- Challenges include hydrogel swelling, mechanical degradation, and electrical failure in physiological environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop soft, stretchable, and anti-swelling hydrogels for stable implantable bioelectronics.
- To engineer these hydrogels for 3D printing of functional bioelectronic devices.
Main Methods:
- Micellar self-assembly to create anti-swelling hydrogels.
- Microgel strategy for supporting matrix and conductive hydrogel ink.
- 3D printing of bioelectronic devices with tailored conductive phases.
Main Results:
- Anti-swelling hydrogels exhibited reduced foreign-body reactions compared to conventional materials.
- Achieved high conductivity (up to 4,000 S/cm) and extreme stretchability (>1,300% strain at failure).
- Successfully fabricated and implanted various devices, including brain-computer interfaces and nerve stimulators.
Conclusions:
- The novel anti-swelling hydrogels provide a stable platform for implantable bioelectronics.
- 3D-printable conductive hydrogels enable advanced bioelectronic device fabrication.
- Demonstrated long-term stability and functionality of implanted devices in vivo.
