Pub Date : 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1038/s41528-026-00541-9
Bo xuan Zhu, Lu wen Zhao, Li Lv, Cheng cheng Li, Miao Zhang, Jie Wang, Xing Su, Zai sheng Cai, Ya ping Zhao
{"title":"Phytic acid-assisted low-temperature carbonization of jute fabric for high-performance flexible pressure sensors","authors":"Bo xuan Zhu, Lu wen Zhao, Li Lv, Cheng cheng Li, Miao Zhang, Jie Wang, Xing Su, Zai sheng Cai, Ya ping Zhao","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00541-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00541-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"142 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Skin impedance reflects both the barrier function and psychophysiological state of the human body, but long-term monitoring remains challenging due to the lack of electrodes that simultaneously offer water resistance, stretchability, and breathability. In this study, we developed poly(vinyl alcohol)/waterborne polyurethane (PVA/WBPU) blend nanomesh electrodes with controlled polymer composition to address these requirements. Electrospinning produced nanofibers with an island–sea morphology, where partial dissolution of PVA enabled temporary skin adhesion while residual WBPU maintained structural integrity. The optimized PVA/WBPU = 5/5 electrodes showed minimal resistance increase (1.02-fold) after 24 h of continuous water flow and retained conductivity under 80% strain and after 1000 stretch cycles. When applied to the palm, they maintained stable resistance ( < 50 Ω) for at least 4 h, whereas PVA-only electrodes frequently exhibited resistance increases above 1 kΩ or electrical disconnection. These results indicate that controlling the PVA/WBPU blending ratio ensures mechanical and electrical stability while preserving breathability, establishing a materials design strategy for long-term, skin-conformable, and breathable bioelectronic interfaces.
{"title":"Breathable nanomesh electrodes with improved water resistance and stretchability for skin impedance monitoring","authors":"Maho Mimuro, Yusuke Ebihara, Xiaoping Liang, Daishi Inoue, Daisuke Hashizume, Sunghoon Lee, Tomoyuki Yokota, Kento Yamagishi, Takao Someya","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00542-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00542-8","url":null,"abstract":"Skin impedance reflects both the barrier function and psychophysiological state of the human body, but long-term monitoring remains challenging due to the lack of electrodes that simultaneously offer water resistance, stretchability, and breathability. In this study, we developed poly(vinyl alcohol)/waterborne polyurethane (PVA/WBPU) blend nanomesh electrodes with controlled polymer composition to address these requirements. Electrospinning produced nanofibers with an island–sea morphology, where partial dissolution of PVA enabled temporary skin adhesion while residual WBPU maintained structural integrity. The optimized PVA/WBPU = 5/5 electrodes showed minimal resistance increase (1.02-fold) after 24 h of continuous water flow and retained conductivity under 80% strain and after 1000 stretch cycles. When applied to the palm, they maintained stable resistance ( < 50 Ω) for at least 4 h, whereas PVA-only electrodes frequently exhibited resistance increases above 1 kΩ or electrical disconnection. These results indicate that controlling the PVA/WBPU blending ratio ensures mechanical and electrical stability while preserving breathability, establishing a materials design strategy for long-term, skin-conformable, and breathable bioelectronic interfaces.","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"290 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146102133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Smart, compact, and battery-free sensing platforms are increasingly required for structural and health monitoring in hard-to-reach environments. Here, we demonstrate an IoT-enabled multimodal electronic capsule (e-Pill) that integrates flexible, tunable temperature and light sensors within a battery-free architecture. The developed e-Pill is among the smallest reported to date, with a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 20 mm, and can be magnetically actuated for precise navigation in structural and biological systems. Magnetic controllability enables guided motion, accurate positioning, and reliable data acquisition in confined or dynamic environments. The e-Pill detects abnormalities and defects through variations in temperature and light intensity, with real-time monitoring achieved using a customized IoT platform and smartphone interface. Designed for both ingestible and non-ingestible operation, the e-Pill is suitable for a wide range of biological and structural health monitoring applications. The ingestible e-Pill effectively tracks the release of drugs or chemical agents in complex environments. Experiments are conducted within a fish model to demonstrate the feasibility of the developed e-Pill for real-life biomedical applications.
{"title":"Magnetically controllable battery-free multifunctional ingestible and versatile smart e-pill","authors":"Sanjeev Patel, Shivank Sahu, Akshit Arora, Dhanranjan Kumar, Mitradip Bhattacharjee","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00540-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00540-w","url":null,"abstract":"Smart, compact, and battery-free sensing platforms are increasingly required for structural and health monitoring in hard-to-reach environments. Here, we demonstrate an IoT-enabled multimodal electronic capsule (e-Pill) that integrates flexible, tunable temperature and light sensors within a battery-free architecture. The developed e-Pill is among the smallest reported to date, with a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 20 mm, and can be magnetically actuated for precise navigation in structural and biological systems. Magnetic controllability enables guided motion, accurate positioning, and reliable data acquisition in confined or dynamic environments. The e-Pill detects abnormalities and defects through variations in temperature and light intensity, with real-time monitoring achieved using a customized IoT platform and smartphone interface. Designed for both ingestible and non-ingestible operation, the e-Pill is suitable for a wide range of biological and structural health monitoring applications. The ingestible e-Pill effectively tracks the release of drugs or chemical agents in complex environments. Experiments are conducted within a fish model to demonstrate the feasibility of the developed e-Pill for real-life biomedical applications.","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146102132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-31DOI: 10.1038/s41528-026-00533-9
Youssif Merhi, Karem Lozano Montero, Peter Johansen, Matti Mäntysalo, Shweta Agarwala
Advancements in biomedical technologies increasingly demand biocompatible and biodegradable materials capable of integrating with the body for real-time monitoring of physiological processes. Aortic annuloplasty, a procedure to stabilize the aortic root and restore valve function in cases of regurgitation and root dilation, highlights the need for such innovations. Current methods rely on postoperative imaging, which challenges mapping of the dynamic forces acting on the aortic root and annuloplasty ring during the cardiac cycle. To address this, we assessed the piezoelectric performance of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) films, fabricated via solvent casting and processed using uniaxial stretching and thermal annealing, through tapping, straining, and force- and vibration-sweep tests. These experiments characterized the electrical response of PLLA films under varying mechanical stimuli and evaluated their potential for biomedical sensing. We developed a ring-like prototype device to simulate real-world conditions and assess its suitability for implantable sensors using an in vitro setup for biosignal monitoring of aortic annuloplasty. The device demonstrated stable and periodic voltage outputs correlated with applied pressures, ranging from −0.5 to 0.5 V at 92/51 mmHg to −1.1 to 1.3 V at 164/114 mmHg. These findings support the feasibility of PLLA-based sensors for real-time biomechanical feedback in cardiovascular surgery.
{"title":"Harnessing piezoelectric poly L lactic acid for enhanced sensing in aortic annuloplasty","authors":"Youssif Merhi, Karem Lozano Montero, Peter Johansen, Matti Mäntysalo, Shweta Agarwala","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00533-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00533-9","url":null,"abstract":"Advancements in biomedical technologies increasingly demand biocompatible and biodegradable materials capable of integrating with the body for real-time monitoring of physiological processes. Aortic annuloplasty, a procedure to stabilize the aortic root and restore valve function in cases of regurgitation and root dilation, highlights the need for such innovations. Current methods rely on postoperative imaging, which challenges mapping of the dynamic forces acting on the aortic root and annuloplasty ring during the cardiac cycle. To address this, we assessed the piezoelectric performance of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) films, fabricated via solvent casting and processed using uniaxial stretching and thermal annealing, through tapping, straining, and force- and vibration-sweep tests. These experiments characterized the electrical response of PLLA films under varying mechanical stimuli and evaluated their potential for biomedical sensing. We developed a ring-like prototype device to simulate real-world conditions and assess its suitability for implantable sensors using an in vitro setup for biosignal monitoring of aortic annuloplasty. The device demonstrated stable and periodic voltage outputs correlated with applied pressures, ranging from −0.5 to 0.5 V at 92/51 mmHg to −1.1 to 1.3 V at 164/114 mmHg. These findings support the feasibility of PLLA-based sensors for real-time biomechanical feedback in cardiovascular surgery.","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"62 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1038/s41528-026-00529-5
Marco Buzio, Martina Gini, Tom C. Schneider, Nevena Stajkovic, Sven Ingebrandt, Laura De Laporte, Andreas Offenhäusser, Valeria Criscuolo, Francesca Santoro
The mechanical similarity between bioelectronic platforms and native tissue microenvironments is critical for successful cell-microdevice interfacing. Advances in high-resolution microfabrication have enabled the creation of 3D conductive microstructures; however, these approaches typically yield to structures that are electrically active but mechanically stiff relative to biological tissues. In this work, we present a strategy for the fabrication of soft 3D bioelectronic interfaces by blending PEDOT:PSS with a methacrylate-modified gelatin and leveraging two-photon polymerization lithography for micropatterning. Incorporating the conducting polymer into the hydrogel matrix resulted in reduced electrical impedance and exhibited soft mechanical properties both at the macro- and micro-scale. Here, the conductive hydrogel blends have been 3D printed, their versatility was assessed through different geometries and were used for neuronal cell culture. This approach enables the fabrication of soft neural interfaces with biomimetic architectures, using multimaterial blends, supporting improved electrical and mechanical integration at the cell-electrode interface.
{"title":"3D micropatterning of PEDOT:PSS/Gelatin conductive hydrogels via two-photon lithography for soft bioelectronics","authors":"Marco Buzio, Martina Gini, Tom C. Schneider, Nevena Stajkovic, Sven Ingebrandt, Laura De Laporte, Andreas Offenhäusser, Valeria Criscuolo, Francesca Santoro","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00529-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00529-5","url":null,"abstract":"The mechanical similarity between bioelectronic platforms and native tissue microenvironments is critical for successful cell-microdevice interfacing. Advances in high-resolution microfabrication have enabled the creation of 3D conductive microstructures; however, these approaches typically yield to structures that are electrically active but mechanically stiff relative to biological tissues. In this work, we present a strategy for the fabrication of soft 3D bioelectronic interfaces by blending PEDOT:PSS with a methacrylate-modified gelatin and leveraging two-photon polymerization lithography for micropatterning. Incorporating the conducting polymer into the hydrogel matrix resulted in reduced electrical impedance and exhibited soft mechanical properties both at the macro- and micro-scale. Here, the conductive hydrogel blends have been 3D printed, their versatility was assessed through different geometries and were used for neuronal cell culture. This approach enables the fabrication of soft neural interfaces with biomimetic architectures, using multimaterial blends, supporting improved electrical and mechanical integration at the cell-electrode interface.","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"282 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146089278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1038/s41528-026-00537-5
Lingsen You, Yirong Qu, Yuheng Chen, Yu Wang, Li Shen, Junbo Ge
This review introduces the “4 A Tetrahedron System” (Assessment, Assistance, Aftercare, AI-retrofit) as a synergistic framework for panvascular intervention empowered by flexible electronics. Central to this is the novel concept of “suitcordance”—short-term suitability and long-term concordance. By integrating flexible sensors, navigation tools, and AI algorithms, this framework establishes a closed-loop data ecosystem, driving a transition toward intelligent, full-cycle disease management.
{"title":"4A tetrahedron system: a synergistic framework for panvascular intervention empowered by flexible electronics","authors":"Lingsen You, Yirong Qu, Yuheng Chen, Yu Wang, Li Shen, Junbo Ge","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00537-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00537-5","url":null,"abstract":"This review introduces the “4 A Tetrahedron System” (Assessment, Assistance, Aftercare, AI-retrofit) as a synergistic framework for panvascular intervention empowered by flexible electronics. Central to this is the novel concept of “suitcordance”—short-term suitability and long-term concordance. By integrating flexible sensors, navigation tools, and AI algorithms, this framework establishes a closed-loop data ecosystem, driving a transition toward intelligent, full-cycle disease management.","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146089279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wearable sweat rate and electrolyte sensors offer real-time assessment of hydration status. Current epidermal microfluidic devices represent the widely adopted approach; however, their limitation for microliter-scale sweat collection often results in response latency and compromised detection accuracy. A rapid sweat-absorbing material (RSAM) filled in the collection chamber between the microfluidic device and the skin has been demonstrated as an effective solution. This work proposes a polyvinyl alcohol@polyurethane microfiber composite hydrogel (PVA@PU MH) with unidirectional sweat-transport capability in the inlet chamber of a microfluidic. The optimized PVA@PU MH exhibits a sweat collection efficiency that is 49.76 ± 6.75% higher than traditional methods. With anisotropic microchannels, PVA@PU MH leverages capillary action to confine sweat laterally and drive vertical transport directionally. Additionally, the integration of conductivity-sensing components within the microfluidic system enables the detection of both sweat rate and electrolyte concentration. A low-power unit was developed to process and wirelessly transmit real-time sweat data to mobile devices for continuous monitoring. The PVA@PU MH facilitated both faster sweat uptake and more physiologically representative analyte readings, as evidenced by a strong correlation with whole-body measurements. The proposed strategy rapidly acquires microliter sweat samples, substantially expanding wearable monitoring capabilities.
{"title":"Directional permeation-driven microfiber composite hydrogel towards rapid sweat uptaking and hydration monitoring","authors":"Hao Shen, Siyuan Liu, Mengyuan Liu, Yujie Liu, Feng Wen, Mingxu Wang, Yongfeng Wang, Qiang Gao, Lianhui Li, Dengfeng Zhou, Zuoping Xiong, Shuqi Wang, Ting Zhang","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00535-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00535-7","url":null,"abstract":"Wearable sweat rate and electrolyte sensors offer real-time assessment of hydration status. Current epidermal microfluidic devices represent the widely adopted approach; however, their limitation for microliter-scale sweat collection often results in response latency and compromised detection accuracy. A rapid sweat-absorbing material (RSAM) filled in the collection chamber between the microfluidic device and the skin has been demonstrated as an effective solution. This work proposes a polyvinyl alcohol@polyurethane microfiber composite hydrogel (PVA@PU MH) with unidirectional sweat-transport capability in the inlet chamber of a microfluidic. The optimized PVA@PU MH exhibits a sweat collection efficiency that is 49.76 ± 6.75% higher than traditional methods. With anisotropic microchannels, PVA@PU MH leverages capillary action to confine sweat laterally and drive vertical transport directionally. Additionally, the integration of conductivity-sensing components within the microfluidic system enables the detection of both sweat rate and electrolyte concentration. A low-power unit was developed to process and wirelessly transmit real-time sweat data to mobile devices for continuous monitoring. The PVA@PU MH facilitated both faster sweat uptake and more physiologically representative analyte readings, as evidenced by a strong correlation with whole-body measurements. The proposed strategy rapidly acquires microliter sweat samples, substantially expanding wearable monitoring capabilities.","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146057252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Large-area electronic sensor and actuator arrays are suitable systems for thin-film transistor (TFT) technology with numerous applications from consumer electronics to healthcare. Considerable effort is being spent to make these arrays a reality. However, research on the power delivery circuits that supply these arrays has remained largely unexplored. This work delves into the design trade-offs and characterization of high output power boost converters in low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) technology. The proposed boost converters deliver 0.62–2.17 W of output power, orders of magnitude above prior TFT solutions, with efficiencies ranging from 47 to 69.5%. These boost converters enable the realization of large-area sensor and actuator arrays and set the foundation for future research in this area.
{"title":"High output power low temperature polysilicon thin-film transistor boost converters for large-area sensor and actuator applications","authors":"Mauricio Velazquez Lopez, Nikolas Papadopoulos, Paoline Coulson, Bjorn Vandecasteele, Kris Myny","doi":"10.1038/s41528-026-00536-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-026-00536-6","url":null,"abstract":"Large-area electronic sensor and actuator arrays are suitable systems for thin-film transistor (TFT) technology with numerous applications from consumer electronics to healthcare. Considerable effort is being spent to make these arrays a reality. However, research on the power delivery circuits that supply these arrays has remained largely unexplored. This work delves into the design trade-offs and characterization of high output power boost converters in low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) technology. The proposed boost converters deliver 0.62–2.17 W of output power, orders of magnitude above prior TFT solutions, with efficiencies ranging from 47 to 69.5%. These boost converters enable the realization of large-area sensor and actuator arrays and set the foundation for future research in this area.","PeriodicalId":48528,"journal":{"name":"npj Flexible Electronics","volume":"296 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146057253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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