Emerging nanomaterials for conductive electroactive and stretchable hydrogels in biomedical microdevices

Abstract

The integration of nanomaterials into hydrogels has significantly advanced the development of highly conductive, electroactive, and stretchable materials suitable for biomedical microdevices. These hydrogels utilize the distinctive electrical, mechanical, and biocompatible qualities of nanomaterials to develop flexible interfaces that support dynamic biological interactions. This review outlines the fundamental properties of these hydrogels, recent advances in fabrication techniques, which also include monitoring and characterization, and emphasizes the importance of nanomaterials in adjusting their elasticity and reactivity. Additionally, special attention was given to their application in biomedical microdevices, such as bioelectronic interfaces and microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS). The discussion also addresses current challenges related to material performance, interface stability, and long-term biocompatibility, as well as innovative strategies to overcome these issues. Emerging trends towards multifunctional, autonomous, and intelligent biomedical devices are examined. These developments position electroactive, stretchable hydrogels as vital components for next-generation biomedical microtechnologies.