Liquid-based encapsulation for implantable bioelectronics across broad pH environments

He Sun, Xiaoting Xue (), Gabriella L. Robilotto, Xincheng Zhang, ChangHee Son, Xingchi Chen, Yue Cao, Kewang Nan, Yiyuan Yang, Gavin Fennell, Jaewook Jung, Yang Song, Huijie Li, Shao-Hao Lu, Yizhou Liu, Yi Li, Weiyi Zhang, Jie He, Xueju Wang, Yan Li, Aaron D. Mickle () and Yi Zhang ()
Additional contact information
He Sun: University of Connecticut
Xiaoting Xue: University of Connecticut
Gabriella L. Robilotto: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida
Xincheng Zhang: University of Connecticut
ChangHee Son: University of Connecticut
Xingchi Chen: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University
Yue Cao: University of Connecticut
Kewang Nan: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yiyuan Yang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Gavin Fennell: University of Connecticut
Jaewook Jung: University of Connecticut
Yang Song: University of Connecticut
Huijie Li: University of Connecticut
Shao-Hao Lu: University of Connecticut
Yizhou Liu: University of Connecticut
Yi Li: University of Connecticut
Weiyi Zhang: University of Connecticut
Jie He: University of Connecticut
Xueju Wang: University of Connecticut
Yan Li: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University
Aaron D. Mickle: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida
Yi Zhang: University of Connecticut

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Wearable and implantable bioelectronics that can interface for extended periods with highly mobile organs and tissues across a broad pH range would be useful for various applications in basic biomedical research and clinical medicine. The encapsulation of these systems, however, presents a major challenge, as such devices require superior barrier performance against water and ion penetration in challenging pH environments while also maintaining flexibility and stretchability to match the physical properties of the surrounding tissue. Current encapsulation materials are often limited to near-neutral pH conditions, restricting their application range. In this work, we report a liquid-based encapsulation approach for bioelectronics under extreme pH environments. This approach achieves high optical transparency, stretchability, and mechanical durability. When applied to implantable wireless optoelectronic devices, our encapsulation method demonstrates outstanding water resistance in vitro, ranging from extremely acidic environments (pH = 1.5 and 4.5) to alkaline conditions (pH = 9). We also demonstrate the in vivo biocompatibility of our encapsulation approach and show that encapsulated wireless optoelectronics maintain robust operation throughout 3 months of implantation in freely moving mice. These results indicate that our encapsulation strategy has the potential to protect implantable bioelectronic devices in a wide range of research and clinical applications.

Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-55992-x Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-55992-x

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55992-x

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().