Skin-inspired hydrogel–elastomer hybrids with robust interfaces and functional microstructures

By Hyunwoo Yuk, Teng Zhang, G. Parada, Xinyue Liu, Xuanhe Zhao. Nature Communications, 2016

902 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Inspired by mammalian skins, soft hybrids integrating the merits of elastomers and hydrogels have potential applications in diverse areas including stretchable and bio-integrated electronics, microfluidics, tissue engineering, soft robotics and biomedical devices. However, existing hydrogel–elastomer hybrids have limitations such as weak interfacial bonding, low robustness and difficulties in patterning microstructures. Here, we report a simple yet versatile method to assemble hydrogels and elastomers into hybrids with extremely robust interfaces (interfacial toughness over 1,000 Jm−2) and functional microstructures such as microfluidic channels and electrical circuits. The proposed method is generally applicable to various types of tough hydrogels and diverse commonly used elastomers including polydimethylsiloxane Sylgard 184, polyurethane, latex, VHB and Ecoflex. We further demonstrate applications enabled by the robust and microstructured hydrogel–elastomer hybrids including anti-dehydration hydrogel–elastomer hybrids, stretchable and reactive hydrogel–elastomer microfluidics, and stretchable hydrogel circuit boards patterned on elastomer. Soft hybrids that integrate hydrogels and elastomers can be used in applications, such as stretchable electronics and soft robotics, but usually have shortcomings. Here, Zhao and co-workers show a simple method of assembling hydrogel/elastomer hybrids with robust interfaces and functional microstructures.

Subfields: Biomedical Engineering, Molecular Medicine

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5fd2317aa0707267bd62ba98248105ce9f72b2f0

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Biomedical Engineering

In Molecular Medicine

Citations in the corpus

Ultrastretchable, transparent triboelectric nanogenerator as electronic skin for biomechanical energy harvesting and tactile sensing (2017, background): “Several recent progresses showedpotential approaches to addressing this issue (43, 44).”
Peano-HASEL actuators: Muscle-mimetic, electrohydraulic transducers that linearly contract on activation (2018, methodology): “Using BOPP films and PDMS/hydrogel electrodes allows construction of an actuator that is highly transparent when submerged in an”
Hydraulic hydrogel actuators and robots optically and sonically camouflaged in water (2017, positive): “Elastomeric tubings were treated with benzophenone solution (10 wt.% in ethanol) for 2min at the room temperature (23 (cid:2) C) to form robust interface with hydrogel 27 .”
Fatigue of double-network hydrogels (2017, background): “Dissolved humectants and elastomeric coatings can retard evaporation of water and enable the devices to be used in open air [20-23].”