Work

Biodegradable Conductors for Implantable and Wearable Transient Bioelectronics

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Transient bioelectronics, as an emerging class of electronic systems, can degrade at controlled rates or within predefined time frames, thereby avoiding the risks associated with secondary surgical removal while reducing electronic waste. In biomedical applications, these systems offer new opportunities for short‐term monitoring, diagnosis, and therapy in both implantable and wearable formats. Within these systems, biodegradable conductors serve as core functional materials that enable sensing, electrical stimulation, and transmission of signals and energy, thereby determining overall device performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in biodegradable conductors, focusing on their degradation mechanisms and the key performance requirements for integration into transient bioelectronics. The characteristics of different classes of biodegradable conductors, including metals, conducting polymers, ionic conductors, and conductive composites, are discussed. Strategies for evaluating and regulating their functional lifetimes, as well as suitable fabrication approaches, are presented. Finally, representative biomedical applications in sensing, stimulation, energy devices, and drug delivery systems are summarized, and future perspectives for the development of transient bioelectronics are outlined.

Source: Advanced Functional Materials

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.79473

Authors: Yicheng Zhu, Yijun Liu, Naoji Matsuhisa

Institutions: Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, The University of Tokyo

Language: English

Topic: biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties

Subfield: Biomaterials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,790