High-stability conducting polymer-based conformal electrodes for bio-/iono-electronics

Compared to conventional rigid electronics, polymer-based soft electronics conformal organisms of irregular shapes have emerged as the next-generation devices, especially benefiting long-term bio-interface interactions that avoid mechanical mismatch and consequent adverse immune responses. Highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has become a promising candidate for building conductors/electrodes due its good conductance, tunable stiffness, biocompatibility facile fabrication into various structures. However, their high instability towards alkaline, reductants applied voltage not yet been fully addressed, which inevitably leads deteriorated performance in complex physiological environments or weather conditions (e.g., humidity). Such intolerances are rooted unstable electronic/molecular structures PEDOT caused by de-doping. Besides low electrical stability, PEDOT:PSS films also exhibit an impaired overall conductance phase separation PSS-rich PEDOT-rich domains. Herein, general effective coating strategy is proposed, based on mechanism simultaneous molecular rejection electron conjugation, improve stability boost conductance. Specifically, reduced-graphene-oxide (rGO) thin layer can only protect PEDOT: PSS from being de-doped alkali, bio-reductants through rejection, maintain conductivity ensure stable functions, but further bridging effect with large conjugated domain. This compatible material techniques, including blade-coating, dip-coating extrusion-based printing enabling different Finally, advantages excellent conformability composite conductors demonstrated practical applications tissue stimulation, electrophysiological recording proprioceptive hydrogel skins, exhibiting great promise bio/iono-electronics human–machine interactions.