Issue

Vol. 16 (2024)

Gelatin-Based Metamaterial Hydrogel Films with High Conformality for Ultra-Soft Tissue Monitoring

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01225-z
Yuewei Chen
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
Yanyan Zhou
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, People’s Republic of China
Zihe Hu
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, People’s Republic of China
Weiying Lu
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, People’s Republic of China
Zhuang Li
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
Ning Gao
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, People’s Republic of China
Nian Liu
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
Yuanrong Li
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
Jing He
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
Qing Gao
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
Zhijian Xie
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, People’s Republic of China
Jiachun Li
School of Mechanical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, People’s Republic of China
Yong He
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Yong He

yongqin@zju.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 16 (2024), Article Number: 34

Abstract

Implantable hydrogel-based bioelectronics (IHB) can precisely monitor human health and diagnose diseases. However, achieving biodegradability, biocompatibility, and high conformality with soft tissues poses significant challenges for IHB. Gelatin is the most suitable candidate for IHB since it is a collagen hydrolysate and a substantial part of the extracellular matrix found naturally in most tissues. This study used 3D printing ultrafine fiber networks with metamaterial design to embed into ultra-low elastic modulus hydrogel to create a novel gelatin-based conductive film (GCF) with mechanical programmability. The regulation of GCF nearly covers soft tissue mechanics, an elastic modulus from 20 to 420 kPa, and a Poisson's ratio from − 0.25 to 0.52. The negative Poisson's ratio promotes conformality with soft tissues to improve the efficiency of biological interfaces. The GCF can monitor heartbeat signals and respiratory rate by determining cardiac deformation due to its high conformability. Notably, the gelatin characteristics of the biodegradable GCF enable the sensor to monitor and support tissue restoration. The GCF metamaterial design offers a unique idea for bioelectronics to develop implantable sensors that integrate monitoring and tissue repair and a customized method for endowing implanted sensors to be highly conformal with soft tissues.


Highlights:
1 Novel customized metamaterial gelatin-based conductive film (GCF) was developed to ensure good biocompatibility and biodegradability for implantable bioelectronics integrating monitoring with tissue repair. The metamaterial property demonstrated high conformal with soft tissues to promote the signal-to-noise ratio.
2 The GCF revealed elastic modulus regulated from 20 to 420 kPa and Poisson's ratio from − 0.25 to 0.52. It was fabricated by embedding different 3D printing ultrafine fiber networks with metamaterial design into ultra-low modulus Gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel.

Keywords

Implantable hydrogel-based bioelectronics Conformality 3D printing Metamaterial design
Chen, Yuewei, Yanyan Zhou, Zihe Hu, Weiying Lu, Zhuang Li, Ning Gao, Nian Liu, Yuanrong Li, Jing He, Qing Gao, Zhijian Xie, Jiachun Li, and Yong He. 2023. “Gelatin-Based Metamaterial Hydrogel Films With High Conformality for Ultra-Soft Tissue Monitoring”. Nano-Micro Letters 16 (November):34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01225-z.
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