Abstract
Biodegradable stretchable electronics have demonstrated great potential for future applications in stretchable electronics and can be resorbed, dissolved, and disintegrated in the environment. Most biodegradable electronic devices have used flexible biodegradable materials, which have limited conformality in wearable and implantable devices. Here, we report a biodegradable, biocompatible, and stretchable composite microfiber of poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for transient stretchable device applications. Compositing high-strength PVA with stretchable and biodegradable PGS with poor processability, formability, and mechanical strength overcomes the limits of pure PGS. As an application, the stretchable microfiber-based strain sensor developed by the incorporation of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) into a composite microfiber showed stable current response under cyclic and dynamic stretching at 30% strain. The sensor also showed the ability to monitor the strain produced by tapping, bending, and stretching of the finger, knee, and esophagus. The biodegradable and stretchable composite materials of PGS with additive PVA have great potential for use in transient and environmentally friendly stretchable electronics with reduced environmental footprint.
Highlights
Stretchable electronic materials that can be integrated seamlessly with deformable, dynamic, and irregular surfaces, on the human body, have presented new opportunities for wearable applications [1,2,3,4,5,6]
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was blended with poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) to facilitate microfiber formation at PGS:PVA mass ratios of 2:1, 2:1.5, and 2:2
Biodegradable and stretchable composite microfibers of PVA and PGS were prepared in three steps (Figure 1, Supplementary Figure S1)
Summary
Stretchable electronic materials that can be integrated seamlessly with deformable, dynamic, and irregular surfaces, on the human body, have presented new opportunities for wearable applications [1,2,3,4,5,6]. In addition to stretchable electronics, transient electronics built with biodegradable materials are of increasing interest for future wearable and implantable applications [2,6,7,8,9,10]. A range of biodegradable devices could attain a high level of functionality by introducing stretchability and the thoughtful merging of soft-to-hard materials [11]. Biodegradable and stretchable electronic devices are anticipated for dynamic and shortterm wearable health monitoring with the smallest environmental footprint.
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