Convergent synthesis of diversified reversible network leads to liquid metal-containing conductive hydrogel adhesives

Yong Xu, Rebecca Rothe, Dagmar Voigt, Sandra Hauser, Meiying Cui, Takuya Miyagawa, Michelle Patino Gaillez, Thomas Kurth, Martin Bornhäuser, Jens Pietzsch () and Yixin Zhang ()
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Yong Xu: B CUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering
Rebecca Rothe: Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research Department of Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology
Dagmar Voigt: Institute for Botany, Faculty of Biology
Sandra Hauser: Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research Department of Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology
Meiying Cui: B CUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering
Takuya Miyagawa: B CUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering
Michelle Patino Gaillez: B CUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering
Thomas Kurth: Technische Universität Dresden, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB), Technology Platform, EM Facilty
Martin Bornhäuser: Technische Universität Dresden
Jens Pietzsch: Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research Department of Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology
Yixin Zhang: B CUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Abstract Many features of extracellular matrices, e.g., self-healing, adhesiveness, viscoelasticity, and conductivity, are associated with the intricate networks composed of many different covalent and non-covalent chemical bonds. Whereas a reductionism approach would have the limitation to fully recapitulate various biological properties with simple chemical structures, mimicking such sophisticated networks by incorporating many different functional groups in a macromolecular system is synthetically challenging. Herein, we propose a strategy of convergent synthesis of complex polymer networks to produce biomimetic electroconductive liquid metal hydrogels. Four precursors could be individually synthesized in one to two reaction steps and characterized, then assembled to form hydrogel adhesives. The convergent synthesis allows us to combine materials of different natures to generate matrices with high adhesive strength, enhanced electroconductivity, good cytocompatibility in vitro and high biocompatibility in vivo. The reversible networks exhibit self-healing and shear-thinning properties, thus allowing for 3D printing and minimally invasive injection for in vivo experiments.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22675-2

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