Mechanically and biologically skin-like elastomers for bio-integrated electronics

• Published in: Nature communications 2020-02, Vol.11 (1), p.1107-8, Article 1107
• Main Authors: Chen, Shuo, Sun, Lijie, Zhou, Xiaojun, Guo, Yifan, Song, Jianchun, Qian, Sihao, Liu, Zenghe, Guan, Qingbao, Meade Jeffries, Eric, Liu, Wenguang, Wang, Yadong, He, Chuanglong, You, Zhengwei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 13; 14/34; 140/131; 147/135; 639/166/987; 639/301/54/989; 639/301/923/1028; 64; 64/60; Biocompatibility; Biodegradability; Biodegradation; Biological properties; Biomimetic Materials - chemistry; Biomimetics - methods; Bonding strength; Cross-Linking Reagents - chemistry; Crosslinking; Elasticity; Elastomers; Elastomers - chemistry; Electrical Equipment and Supplies; Electronic devices; Electronic equipment; Electronics; Electronics industry; High pressure; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydrogen bonding; Hydrogen bonds; Isocyanates - chemistry; Materials Testing; Mechanical properties; Modulus of elasticity; multidisciplinary; Polymers; Pressure; Pressure sensors; Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Pyrimidinones - chemistry; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Skin; Skin Physiological Phenomena; Soft tissues; Tissues; Toughness
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14446-2

The bio-integrated electronics industry is booming and becoming more integrated with biological tissues. To successfully integrate with the soft tissues of the body (eg. skin), the material must possess many of the same properties including compliance, toughness, elasticity, and tear resistance. In this work, we prepare mechanically and biologically skin-like materials (PSeD-U elastomers) by designing a unique physical and covalent hybrid crosslinking structure. The introduction of an optimal amount of hydrogen bonds significantly strengthens the resultant elastomers with 11 times the toughness and 3 times the strength of covalent crosslinked PSeD elastomers, while maintaining a low modulus. Besides, the PSeD-U elastomers show nonlinear mechanical behavior similar to skins. Furthermore, PSeD-U elastomers demonstrate the cytocompatibility and biodegradability to achieve better integration with tissues. Finally, piezocapacitive pressure sensors are fabricated with high pressure sensitivity and rapid response to demonstrate the potential use of PSeD-U elastomers in bio-integrated electronics. Designing biodegradable and biocompatible polymers to mimic both mechanical and biological properties of skins for emerging electronic devices remains a challenge. Here, the authors propose PSeD-U skin-like elastomers with both mechanical and biological properties for bio-integrated electronics.