Polymeric conductive hydrogels, especially poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), have been developed as interface materials for bioelectronic devices, including for sensing and actuation. Ideal hydrogels possess electronic conductivity, mechanical properties that match biological substrate, and biocompatibility for bridging the incompatibility of biotic and abiotic systems. Extensive studies have been performed on PEDOT:PSS hydrogel to incorporate mammalian cells or microbes for either tissue engineering or electrochemical characterization. Current approaches integrate microbes with electrodes via chemical polymerized PEDOT, electropolymerized PEDOT, and electrospun PEDOT. However, these approaches pose significant drawbacks due to the contact of microbes with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer with microbes and difficulty interfacing microbes or tissue with the PEDOT matrix. To deal with these challenges, we propose an in situ crosslinking method to fabricate functional PEDOT hydrogels for embedding living exoelectrogenic microbes in a PEDOT matrix. PEDOT with pendant functional groups is prepared through the oxidative polymerization of hydroxymethyl EDOT, which is functionalized with pendant acrylate or allyl ether groups that can be used in mils and efficient thiol-ene and thiol-acrylate coupling reactions. This approach provides soluble, reactive PEDOT which can be crosslinked in the presence of microbes. We test this approach for the encapsulation of Shewanella oneidensis. This work demonstrates a general approach for interfacing microbes with conductive and biocompatible hydrogels for bioelectronics applications.

In situ crosslinking of PEDOT-based conductive hydrogels for bioelectronics

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.