Issue 32, 2023

Conductive hydrogels for bioelectronics: molecular structures, design principles, and operation mechanisms

Abstract

Bioelectronics have become an emerging research field for their wide application in health monitoring and human–computer interaction. Conductive hydrogels are promising candidates for the fabrication of bioelectronics. In this review, the structural characteristics, design principles, operation mechanisms and advantages of multifunctional conductive hydrogels for bioelectronics are highlighted. First, the representative conductive materials, the general synthetic approaches of conductive hydrogels and the conductive mechanism are introduced, the latter of which comprises electronic conduction and ionic conduction. Then this review focuses on the multifunctional design criteria and operation mechanisms of conductive hydrogels, including mechanical reinforcement, self-healing mechanisms, antibacterial properties and biocompatibility. The chemical reactions and interactions to achieve the self-healing function, like Diels–Alder reaction, Schiff base bonds, dynamic borate ester bonds, ionic and metal-coordination interaction, hydrogen bonding, and host–guest interaction, are clarified clearly. The antibacterial properties of hydrogels such as polymer-based inherent antibacterial hydrogels, inorganic nanoparticle-loaded antibacterial hydrogels, antibiotic-loaded antibacterial hydrogels and stimuli-responsive antibacterial hydrogels are elucidated. Finally, the applications of multifunctional conductive hydrogels in bioelectronics, and challenges and opportunities are discussed. This review provides a deep understanding of the mechanisms and design principles of multifunctional conductive hydrogels, and proposes a new perspective for next-generation hydrogel-based bioelectronics.

Graphical abstract: Conductive hydrogels for bioelectronics: molecular structures, design principles, and operation mechanisms

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
25 мај 2023
Accepted
18 јул. 2023
First published
19 јул. 2023

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023,11, 10785-10808

Conductive hydrogels for bioelectronics: molecular structures, design principles, and operation mechanisms

X. Zhang, X. Chen, Z. Ye, W. Liu, X. Liu and X. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023, 11, 10785 DOI: 10.1039/D3TC01821K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements