(79g) Phase-Separated Nanocomposites with Ultralow Percolation Threshold Enables Strain-Resilient Wireless Bioelectronics
AIChE Annual Meeting
2024
2024 AIChE Annual Meeting
Materials Engineering and Sciences Division
Biomaterials Science and Engineering: Faculty Candidates II
Monday, October 28, 2024 - 9:30am to 9:45am
Realizing the full potential of stretchable bioelectronics in wearables, biomedical implants and soft robotics necessitates conductive elastic composites that are intrinsically soft, highly conductive, and strain resilient. However, existing composites usually compromise electrical durability and performance due to disrupted conductive paths under strain and rely heavily on high content of conductive filler. Here we present an in-situ phase separation method that facilitates microscale silver nanowire assembly and create self-organized percolation networks on pore surfaces. The resultant nanocomposites are highly conductive, strain-insensitive, fatigue-tolerant, while minimizing filler usage. Their resilience is rooted in multiscale porous polymer matrices that dissipate stress and rigid conductive fillers adapting to strain-induced geometry changes. Notably, the presence of porous microstructures reduces the percolation threshold ( =0.00062) by 48-fold and suppresses electrical degradation even under strains exceeding 600%. Theoretical calculations yield quantitatively consistent results with experimental findings. By pairing with near-field communication technologies, we have demonstrated stretchable wireless power and data transmission solutions that are ideal for both skin-interfaced and implanted bioelectronics. The systems enable battery-free wireless powering and sensing of a breadth of sweat biomarkersâwith less than 10% performance variation even at 50% strain. Ultimately, our strategy offers expansive material options for diverse applications.