System-level transient simulation of bioresorbable and flexible electronic circuits
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Updated: Nov 7, 2026

Transforming Static Barrier Tissue Models into Dynamic Microphysiological Systems
Published on: February 16, 2024
Pei Liu1, Ali Garmroudi2, Zhengwei Li2,3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX USA.
Abstract:
Bioresorbable electronics promise safe, time-limited operation in the body, eliminating the risks of secondary surgery. Their clinical translation, however, requires quantitative models that link degradation kinetics to system-level electromechanical and electromagnetic performance over clinically relevant timescales, enabling reliable function in implants for electrotherapy, physiological monitoring, neural interfaces, and drug delivery. We introduce a computational framework that uniquely couples diffusion-reaction degradation with mechanical and electrical response, enabling quantitative prediction of transient performance in representative bioresorbable devices. Specifically, we benchmark the framework against seminal dissolution experiments on silicon nanomembranes, biomimetic bladders, and established analytical theories and scaling laws, reproducing experimental dissolution kinetics within ~1.6% error. We demonstrate system-level transient response in radio-frequency resonators, pressure sensors, strain sensors, and general classes of stretchable electronic systems. Beyond dissolution, the framework models functional metrics, including increases in electrical resistance, shifts in resonant frequency, and partial/complete circuit fracture, as bioresorbable devices degrade, providing a capability that bridges in silico prediction with in vitro characterization and ultimately in vivo performance.

