Biocompatible Protein/Liquid Metal Hydrogel-Enabled Wearable Electronics for Monitoring Marine Inhabitants’ Health

IF 10.1 1区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Engineering Pub Date : 2025-04-01 DOI:10.1016/j.eng.2024.12.030

Lidong Wu , Jinxue Zhao , Yuanxin Li , Haiyang Qin , Xuejing Zhai , Peiyi Li , Yang Li , Yingnan Liu , Ningyue Chen , Yuan Li

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Abstract

Wearable electronics incorporating proteins for biocompatibility have garnered significant research attention, given their potential applications in biocompatible medical devices, artificial skin, humanoid robots, and other fields. However, a notable challenge exists, as many wearable electronics currently lack those essential properties due to issues such as non-biological compatibility, as well as insufficient mechanical and conductive performance. Here, we have developed a hybrid keratin (KE) hydrogel by incorporating a liquid metal (LM, eutectic gallium-indium alloy) to design a wearable electronic device with excellent biocompatibility, enhanced conductivity, and good mechanical properties. The resulting keratin liquid metal (KELM) hydrogel demonstrates favorable mechanical characteristics, including good tensile strength (166 kPa), impressive stretchability (2600%), and long-term stability. Furthermore, it exhibits good conductivity (6.84 S∙m⁻¹) and sensitivity as a sensing material (gauge factor (GF) = 7.03), rendering it suitable for constructing high-performance strain sensors. Notably, the KELM hydrogel-based wearable electronics extend their functionality to monitoring marine inhabitants’ health. This innovative application provides new insights for designing the next generation of biomimetic electronic devices, with potential applications in human-machine interfaces, electronic skin, artificial intelligence, and health monitoring.

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用于监测海洋居民健康的生物相容性蛋白质/液态金属水凝胶可穿戴电子设备

考虑到可穿戴电子产品在生物相容性医疗设备、人造皮肤、人形机器人和其他领域的潜在应用，结合生物相容性蛋白质的可穿戴电子产品已经获得了大量的研究关注。然而，一个值得注意的挑战存在，因为许多可穿戴电子产品目前缺乏这些基本特性，由于诸如非生物兼容性问题，以及机械和导电性能不足。在这里，我们通过结合液态金属（LM，共晶镓铟合金）开发了一种混合角蛋白（KE）水凝胶，设计了一种具有优异生物相容性，增强导电性和良好机械性能的可穿戴电子设备。由此产生的角蛋白液态金属（KELM）水凝胶具有良好的机械特性，包括良好的抗拉强度（166 kPa）、令人印象深刻的拉伸性（2600%）和长期稳定性。此外，作为传感材料，它具有良好的电导率（6.84 S∙m−1）和灵敏度（gauge factor (GF) = 7.03），适合构建高性能应变传感器。值得注意的是，KELM基于水凝胶的可穿戴电子设备将其功能扩展到监测海洋居民的健康状况。这一创新应用为设计下一代仿生电子设备提供了新的见解，在人机界面、电子皮肤、人工智能和健康监测方面具有潜在的应用前景。

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来源期刊

Engineering Environmental Science-Environmental Engineering

自引率

1.60%

发文量

335

审稿时长

35 days

期刊介绍： Engineering, an international open-access journal initiated by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) in 2015, serves as a distinguished platform for disseminating cutting-edge advancements in engineering R&D, sharing major research outputs, and highlighting key achievements worldwide. The journal's objectives encompass reporting progress in engineering science, fostering discussions on hot topics, addressing areas of interest, challenges, and prospects in engineering development, while considering human and environmental well-being and ethics in engineering. It aims to inspire breakthroughs and innovations with profound economic and social significance, propelling them to advanced international standards and transforming them into a new productive force. Ultimately, this endeavor seeks to bring about positive changes globally, benefit humanity, and shape a new future.