Ultra-stretchable and biodegradable elastomers for soft, transient electronics

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 2263
• Main Authors: Han, Won Bae, Ko, Gwan-Jin, Lee, Kang-Gon, Kim, Donghak, Lee, Joong Hoon, Yang, Seung Min, Kim, Dong-Je, Shin, Jeong-Woong, Jang, Tae-Min, Han, Sungkeun, Zhou, Honglei, Kang, Heeseok, Lim, Jun Hyeon, Rajaram, Kaveti, Cheng, Huanyu, Park, Yong-Doo, Kim, Soo Hyun, Hwang, Suk-Won
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 20.04.2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/131; 142/126; 147/135; 639/166/985; 639/166/987; 639/301/1005/1007; Adhesive strength; Biocompatibility; Biodegradability; Biodegradable materials; Biodegradation; Biomedical materials; Elastomers; Elastomers - chemistry; Electronic devices; Electronic equipment; Electronics; Grippers; Heart; Humanities and Social Sciences; Mechanical properties; Molecular weight; multidisciplinary; Polymers; Prostheses and Implants; Robotics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Shelf life; Storage stability; Surgical implants; Sutures; Technological change; Thin films; Wearable Electronic Devices
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38040-4

As rubber-like elastomers have led to scientific breakthroughs in soft, stretchable characteristics-based wearable, implantable electronic devices or relevant research fields, developments of degradable elastomers with comparable mechanical properties could bring similar technological innovations in transient, bioresorbable electronics or expansion into unexplored areas. Here, we introduce ultra-stretchable, biodegradable elastomers capable of stretching up to ~1600% with outstanding properties in toughness, tear-tolerance, and storage stability, all of which are validated by comprehensive mechanical and biochemical studies. The facile formation of thin films enables the integration of almost any type of electronic device with tunable, suitable adhesive strengths. Conductive elastomers tolerant/sensitive to mechanical deformations highlight possibilities for versatile monitoring/sensing components, particularly the strain-tolerant composites retain high levels of conductivities even under tensile strains of ~550%. Demonstrations of soft electronic grippers and transient, suture-free cardiac jackets could be the cornerstone for sophisticated, multifunctional biodegradable electronics in the fields of soft robots and biomedical implants. Stretchable and degradable elastomers are crucial for developing transient and bioresorbable electronics. Herein, Han et al. tuned the diverse properties of biodegradable PLCL elastomers and demonstrated their application in soft, perceptive robotic grippers and transient, suture-free cardiac jackets.