Electrophoretic Adhesion of Conductive Hydrogels

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 41; no. 12; pp. e2000169 - n/a
• Main Authors: Asoh, Taka‐Aki, Nakamura, Megumi, Shoji, Tatsuya, Tsuboi, Yasuyuki, Uyama, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-06-2020
• Subjects: Adhesion; Cations; Complex formation; conductive hydrogels; Conductivity; Electric Conductivity; Electrophoresis; Humans; Hydrogels; Hydrogels - chemistry; Molecular Structure; polyion complexes; adhesion; electrophoresis; conductive hydrogels; polyion complexes
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000169

For the development of next‐generation wearable and implantable devices that connect the human body and machines, the adhesion of a conductive hydrogel is required. In this study, a conductive hydrogel is adhered using an electrophoretic approach through polyion complex formation at the interface of the hydrogels. Cationic and anionic conductive hydrogels adhere to anionic and cationic hydrogels, respectively. Moreover, the cationic and anionic conductive hydrogels adhere strongly to each other and the adhered conductive hydrogels exhibit conductivity. De‐adhesion is possible by adding a salt and re‐adhesion is demonstrated under aqueous conditions. It is believed that this innovative adhesion strategy for conductive hydrogels will be a fundamental technology for the connecting “soft” people and “hard” machines.
Conductive hydrogels can be adhered strongly using an electrophoretic approach through polyion complex formation at the interface of the hydrogels. The adhesive process is reversible, and de‐adhesion is possible by adding a salt and re‐adhesion is demonstrated under aqueous conditions.