"Electronic-ECM: A Permeable Microporous Elastomer for an Advanced Bio-Integrated Continuous Sensing Platform," published in the journal Advanced Materials Technology.
The study utilizes polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a silicone material popular for use in biosensors because of its biocompatibility and soft mechanics. It's generally utilized as a solid film, nonporous material, which can lead to problems in sensor breathability and sweat evaporation.
"For instance, one experiment with electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis showed that the porous PDMS allowed for the evaporation of sweat during exercise, capable of maintaining a high-resolution signal. The nonporous PDMS did not provide the ability for the sweat to readily evaporate, leading to a lower signal resolution after exercise.
The team created a porous PDMS material through electrospinning, a production method that makes nanofibers through the use of electric force
During mechanical testing, the researchers found that this new material acted like the collagen and elastic fibers of the human epidermis. The material was also capable of acting as a dry adhesive for the electronics to strongly laminate on the skin, for adhesive-free monitoring. Biocompatibility and viability testing also showed better results after seven days of use, compared to the nonporous PDMS film.
Because the material's permeable structure is capable of biofluid, small-molecule and gas diffusion, it can be integrated with soft biological tissue such as skin, neural and cardiac tissue with reduced inflammation at the application site.
reference
Matthew S. Brown et al, Electronic‐ECM: A Permeable Microporous Elastomer for an Advanced Bio‐Integrated Continuous Sensing Platform, Advanced Materials Technologies (2020). DOI: 10.1002/admt.202000242