Bimetallic ions induced toughened, self-healable and conductive hydrogels for bioelectronics

Polydopamine (PDA)-based hydrogels, inspired by mussels, are a typical example of tissue-mimetic materials that can repair themselves autonomously. However, the self-healing capability of the hydrogels is counter-balanced by a reduction in their mechanical strength and toughness, which restricts their suitability for con-ventional load-bearing applications. In this work, through the incorporation of bimetallic ions, the PDA-based tissue-mimetic hydrogels with enhanced mechanical toughness, excellent self-healing properties and high con-ductivity are developed. To demonstrate the utility, a bioelectronic sensor is constructed for detecting large movement of human motions and subtle pulse and voice monitoring.

Automated summary

Polydopamine-based hydrogels, inspired by mussels, can repair themselves autonomously but have reduced mechanical strength. By incorporating bimetallic ions, tissue-mimetic hydrogels with enhanced toughness, self-healing properties, and high conductivity are developed. A bioelectronic sensor is constructed to detect human motion, pulse, and voice.