Biodegradable, Self-Adhesive, Stretchable, Transparent, and Versatile Electronic Skins Based on Intrinsically Hydrophilic Poly(Caproactone-Urethane) Elastomer

Abstract

In biomedical sciences, there is a demand for electronic skins with highly sensitive tactile sensors that have applications in patient monitoring, human–machine interfaces, and on-body sensors. Sensor fabrication requires high-performance conductive surfaces that are transparent, breathable, flexible, and easy to fabricate. It is also preferable if the electrodes are easily processable as wastes, for example, are degradable. In this work, the design and fabrication of hydrophilic silanol/amine-terminated poly(caprolactone-urethane) (SA-PCLU) elastomer-based breathable, stretchable, and biodegradable electrodes are reported. Ag nanowires dispersed in water are sprayed onto the intrinsically hydrophilic electrospun SA-PCLU that became embedded into the scaffold and formed conformal hydrophilic polyurethane-based conductive networks (HPCN). The electrodes are used to fabricate capacitive, curvature, and strain sensors, all having monomaterial composition. In addition to displaying particularly good transparencies at low sheet resistances, stretchability, hydrophilicity, and tight and conformal bonding with the target surface, the electrodes also allow the evaporation of perspiration, making them suitable for epidermal sensors for long-time use. The application of the HPCN electrodes in flexible electronics and bionic skin applications is demonstrated through gesture monitoring experiments and swelling sensors.