Released on Thursday, February 27th, 2025
Professor Sihong Wang (left), a researcher at the Uchicago Pritzker School of Engineering School of Engineering AssistNat, has developed a hydrogel that retains the semiconductor ability to transmit information between living organisations and machines, including doctoral student Yahao Dai (right), which can be used in both implantable medical practices and non-surveillance applications. (Photo by John Zicch)
Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed an entirely new material that functions as both hydrogels and semiconductors. Overcoming the long-standing challenges of bioelectronics.
Due to its substantial amount of water, hydrogels are known for their mechanical and chemical similarities to biological tissues. Conversely, semiconductors are dry and hard, and are essential for devices such as biosensors, pacemakers, and drug delivery systems, but are hardly compatible with biological environments.
“What we started thinking about is how to combine all the hydrogel design and all the benefits with the properties of semiconductors,” said Sihong Wang, assistant professor at the Uchicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, who led the research team, and led the research team to address this question.
The answer recently published in Science lies in a new patented method of incorporating water-soluble polymeric semiconductors into double-network hydrogels.
“This material development bridges the gap (or “mismatches”) between traditional electronic materials such as silicon and human tissue,” Wang explained. “This is an important step in material design.”
The solvent affinity induction assembly method produces materials with soft tissue level elastic modulus of 81 kilopascals, mitigating the immune response, generating 150% strain elasticity, and charge carrier mobility of up to 1.4 square centimeters per second.
Unlike high density silicon, this material is also characterized by high porosity that promotes molecular interactions at the semiconductor-blood fluid interface, resulting in photosynthesis with higher response and higher sensitivity volume biosensing. “The surface is not the only interaction that can be produced,” Wang explained.
These properties lead to better brain machine interfaces, pacemakers, biosensors, and more.
When creating something completely new, something you’ve never seen before, the King points out the importance of being able to visualize your work. Having strong images that his lab is known for, will allow you to better understand unique attributes and where it may be useful.
“We are working towards a new type of human electronic interface that provides not only therapeutic efficacy, but also a much more efficient diagnosis for disease and overall health monitoring.”
– Shihon Wang
Researchers have already shown that light can be used to generate electrical signals or heat for a variety of therapeutic applications. Although the use of potential downstream technologies is extensive, Wang is most excited to explore the possibilities of biochemical sensing.
“Biology is a machine of chemistry,” Wang said. “There are over 500 types of proteins, and how they interact and produce responses to different stimuli determine how different parts of the biological system work.”
However, these processes are difficult to understand.
“Embedded technologies for measuring chemicals, especially multiple types of chemicals at the same time, are very limited,” Wang explained, noting that “there are a huge amount of space and benefits to further develop.”
This patent is the latest in a range of inventions that allow electronic devices such as tissues to be combined to seamlessly integrate with the human body for applications such as health surveillance, drug therapy, implantation therapy, biological research and more.
>>Read more: Stretchy Self-Power Bioelectronics Mimic Skin with Shape and Function
Exploring these use cases, Wang is currently working with neurosurgeons at the University of Chicago Medical Center to test prototype devices. He also works with MA ’02 colleague Stacey Lindau, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and works with the director of the Institute of Research in the Department of Biological Sciences to create a neurobreeding system that is implanted under the skin of mastectomy patients. The purpose, known as the Bionic Breast Project, is to restore sensation in the breast area.
The group’s interdisciplinary approach is to address real-world issues outside of the lab. Of course, there are many needs, but they are particularly interested in issues that cannot be solved easily.
“It’s not just about improving certain specifications of already existing technologies,” Wang added.
Are you interested in this technology? Contact Harrison Paul, who can provide details, discuss the licensing process and connect with the inventor.
// Polsky Patented is a column that highlights research and inventions from faculty members at the University of Chicago. Click here to learn more about the available technologies.
