Abstract
The growing need for the implementation of stretchable biosensors in the body has driven rapid prototyping schemes through the direct ink writing of multidimensional functional architectures. Recent approaches employ biocompatible inks that are dispensable through an automated nozzle injection system. However, their application in medical practices remains challenged in reliable recording due to their viscoelastic nature that yields mechanical and electrical hysteresis under periodic large strains. Herein, we report sponge-like poroelastic silicone composites adaptable for high-precision direct writing of custom-designed stretchable biosensors, which are soft and insensitive to strains. Their unique structural properties yield a robust coupling to living tissues, enabling high-fidelity recording of spatiotemporal electrophysiological activity and real-time ultrasound imaging for visual feedback. In vivo evaluations of custom-fit biosensors in a murine acute myocardial infarction model demonstrate a potential clinical utility in the simultaneous intraoperative recording and imaging on the epicardium, which may guide definitive surgical treatments.
Highlights
The growing need for the implementation of stretchable biosensors in the body has driven rapid prototyping schemes through the direct ink writing of multidimensional functional architectures
Advanced strategies involve the use of conducting polymer inks or silicone composite inks containing conductive nanofillers to serve as dispensable inks for a nozzle injection system that allows for automated rapid prototyping.[14,15,16,17]
The results reported suggest a route towards rapid prototyping of thin and stretchable poroelastic biosensors with a custom-fit design that can meet a specific geometric demand in clinical practices
Summary
The growing need for the implementation of stretchable biosensors in the body has driven rapid prototyping schemes through the direct ink writing of multidimensional functional architectures. We introduce a sponge-like form of poroelastic silicone composites with optimal rheological properties that allow it to be printed in a nozzle injection system at the microscale These poroelastic silicone composites provide the following unique features: (1) poroelastic behavior (rather than viscoelastic behavior) with reversible compressibility that can effectively suppress both mechanical and electrical hysteresis against repetitive loading cycles; (2) exceptional softness due to the ultralow mechanical modulus (E < 30 kPa) of the sponge-like foam, which is lower than that of commercial dispensable inks (E > 1.11 MPa; SE 1700, Dow Corning) by more than 10-fold and comparable to that of human cardiac tissues (29–41 kPa); and (3) reliable structural integrity in which conductive nanofillers are integrated through the internal pores of the sponge-like foam to minimize risk of delamination or separation against cyclic deformations. To demonstrate the utility of this concept in medical practice, we produced a range of custom-fit biosensors tailored for simultaneous recording and imaging of hearts with acute myocardial infarction in vivo
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