Work

Thermo-responsive, on-demand adhesive and tissue-conformal hydrogel electrodes for organ repair and brain-computer interfaces

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Implantable bioelectronic devices, such as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), face persistent challenges in achieving stable, rapid, and reversible adhesion on wet tissues due to hydration layers and mechanical mismatch, which can cause interfacial failure and unstable signals. Here, we report a conductive hydrogel interface with tissue-adaptive, temperature-controllable adhesion. The material is synthesized via dynamic co-entanglement of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(lipoic acid) with LA-NHS, establishing a dual physico-chemical anchoring mechanism that enables efficient tissue integration in aqueous environments. The hydrogel penetrates tissue microstructures within 5 s, withstands burst pressures >213 mmHg, exhibits <10 % swelling, ∼2784 % extensibility, and a low modulus of 41 kPa, thereby conforming to soft, irregular surfaces and reducing interfacial mismatch. Its temperature-triggered adhesion allows safe detachment and repositioning without apparent tissue damage, supporting repeated applications. In vivo and ex vivo tests confirm rapid hemostasis in mouse liver and tail injury models, effective sealing of porcine gastric, bladder, and intestinal defects, and stable electrocorticography and electrocardiography recordings. Moreover, the hydrogel demonstrates high cytocompatibility (>90 %), <5 % hemolysis, reactive oxygen species scavenging, and ∼90 % antibacterial efficiency. By integrating rapid wet adhesion, mechanical compliance, electrical functionality, and bioprotective features, this hydrogel provides a versatile platform for next-generation bioelectronic interfaces and soft therapeutic devices.

Source: Materials Today Bio

DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.102705