Plastic bioelectronics is a research field that takes advantage of the inherent properties of polymers and soft organic electronics for applications at the interface of biology and electronics. The resulting electronic materials and devices are soft, stretchable and mechanically conformable, which are important qualities for interacting with biological systems in both wearable and implantable devices. Work is currently aimed at improving these devices with a view to making the electronic-biological interface as seamless as possible.

The rise of plastic bioelectronics

Electrically conducting polymers arenovel In thattheir surface pries induding charge density and wettability, canbereversibly changed with anapplied electrical potential. Suchproperties might render conducting polymers unique forbiological applications. However, themajority of research onconducting polymers hasbeencarried outunder nonbio lcondits. Wesyntheoptically transparent polypyrrole thinfinms andstudied theminenvironments suitable forprotein adsorption andmammalian cell culture. In viro studies demonstrated that extracellular matrix molecules, suchasfibronectin, adsorb efficiently ontopolypyrrole thin films andsupport cell attentunder serum-free conditions. Whenaortic endothelial cells werecultured onfibronectin- coated polypyrrole (oxidized) ineither chemicall defined medium orthepresence ofserum, cells spread normally and synthesized DNA.Incontrast, whenthepolymer wasswitched toits neutral state byapplying anelectrical potntil, bothcell extension andDNAsynthesis wereinhibited without affecting cell viability. Application ofasimilar electrical potential tocells cultured onindium tin oxide surfaces hadnoeffect oncell shape orfunction. Thesedatasuggest thatdectrially conducting polymers mayrepresent atype ofculture substrate which could provide anoninvasive meanstocontrol theshape andfunction ofadherent cells, independent ofanymediumalteration. Growth andfunction ofcultured cells iscommonly controlled byaddition ofmediumsupplements, including serum, de- fined growth factors, andsoluble hormones. However, in- teractions between cells andtheir culture substrate arealso critical forregulation oftheir growth andfunction. For example, mostmammalian cells areanchorage-dependent and, thus, mustattach andextend onasurface inorder to proliferate (1-5). Furthermore, thesamecells will remain quiescent anddifferentiate intheidentical growth factor- containing medium, ifcell spreading isprevented byaltering interactions between cells andsubstrate-adsorbed extracel-

Electrically conducting polymers cannoninvasively control the shapeandgrowth ofmammalian cells

Flexible sensors that efficiently detect various stimuli relevant to specific environmental or biological species have been extensively studied due to their great potential for the Internet of Things and wearable electronics applications. The application of flexible and stretchable electronics to device-engineering technologies has enabled the fabrication of slender, lightweight, stretchable, and foldable sensors. Here, recent studies on flexible sensors for biological analytes, ions, light, and pH are outlined. In addition, contemporary studies on device structure, materials, and fabrication methods for flexible sensors are discussed, and a market overview is provided. The conclusion presents challenges and perspectives in this field.

An Overview of the Development of Flexible Sensors.

This paper provides a review on some of the significant research work done on wearable flexible sensors (WFSs). Sensors fabricated with the flexible materials have been attached to a person along with the embedded system to monitor a parameter and transfer the significant data to the monitoring unit for the further analyses. The use of wearable sensors has played a quite important role to monitor the physiological parameters of a person to minimize any malfunctioning happening in the body. This paper categorizes the work according to the materials used for designing the system, the network protocols, and different types of activities that were being monitored. The challenges faced by the current sensing systems and future opportunities for the WFSs regarding its market values are also briefly explained in this paper.

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Wearable Flexible Sensors: A Review

Conducting polymers (CPs), thanks to their unique properties, structures made on-demand, new composite mixtures, and possibility of deposit on a surface by chemical, physical, or electrochemical methodologies, have shown in the last years a renaissance and have been widely used in important fields of chemistry and materials science. Due to the extent of the literature on CPs, this review, after a concise introduction about the interrelationship between electrochemistry and conducting polymers, is focused exclusively on the following applications: energy (energy storage devices and solar cells), use in environmental remediation (anion and cation trapping, electrocatalytic reduction/oxidation of pollutants on CP based electrodes, and adsorption of pollutants) and finally electroanalysis as chemical sensors in solution, gas phase, and chiral molecules. This review is expected to be comprehensive, authoritative, and useful to the chemical community interested in CPs and their applications.

Conducting Polymers in the Fields of Energy, Environmental Remediation, and Chemical–Chiral Sensors

At the convergence of organic electronics and biology, organic bioelectronics attracts great scientific interest. The potential applications of organic semiconductors to reversibly transmit biological signals or stimulate biological tissues inspires many research groups to explore the use of organic electronics in biological systems. Considering the surfaces of movable living tissues being arbitrarily curved at physiological environments, the flexibility of organic bioelectronic devices is of paramount importance in enabling stable and reliable performances by improving the contact and interaction of the devices with biological systems. Significant advances in flexible organic bio-electronics have been achieved in the areas of flexible organic thin film transistors (OTFTs), polymer electrodes, smart textiles, organic electrochemical ion pumps (OEIPs), ion bipolar junction transistors (IBJTs) and chemiresistors. This review will firstly discuss the materials used in flexible organic bioelectronics, which is followed by an overview on various types of flexible organic bioelectronic devices. The versatility of flexible organic bioelectronics promises a bright future for this emerging area.

Flexible Organic Electronics in Biology: Materials and Devices

Flexible and low-cost organic bioelectronics devices, as described by L. Li, F. Yan, and co-workers on page 7493, have emerged as a versatile platform for various biological applications, such as DNA, cells, proteins, and neuron signal monitoring. The integration of organic devices with biomaterials can synergize the two naturally compatible systems and create technological opportunities that are not possible with conventional inorganic devices, promising a bright future for this emerging area.

Organic Electronics: Flexible Organic Electronics in Biology: Materials and Devices (Adv. Mater. 46/2015)

Structural development of a flexible textile-based thermocouple temperature sensor

Chitosan material has multiple functions that attract attention from the textile industry, while textile structures make the biocompatible, osteo-conductive and resorbable material promising in a wide range of applications. When the material becomes fibers, the resulting length, strength, fineness and softness would grant the material functions such as structure capacity and a layering system. However, the expected win-win situation is not seen in reality. Special properties of the chitosan material may burden its way of application. In addition, market recognition of chitosan, differences between chitosan, chitin and seaweed fibers, differences in antibacterial post-treatment, testing standards of chitosan, antimicrobial and antibacterial treatment in downstream production and fuzzy concepts of users are also concerns and challenges related to chitosan. Gaps and misunderstandings between the supplier, manufacturer, consumer and researchers are clarified. Testing standards are compared by their purpose, mechanism and scope, while in this article, more attention is given to the application side. Existing forms of semi or final textile chitosan products, fabrication process and evaluation methods are reviewed and discussed for their feasibility towards application. In the end, a product development process flow is given marking concerns in each step of production to guide production and sourcing.

Application of chitosan in the form of textile: production and sourcing

In pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, people are paying more attention to sports activities, even in winter. They are thus seeking high function and maximum comfort to improve their performance. Howev...

Mei Yu Yao

Papers

Flexible Organic Electronics in Biology: Materials and Devices

Organic Electronics: Flexible Organic Electronics in Biology: Materials and Devices (Adv. Mater. 46/2015)

Structural development of a flexible textile-based thermocouple temperature sensor

Application of chitosan in the form of textile: production and sourcing

Development of a flexible wearable thermal textile accessory for winter sports