4D printing of trigger-free shape-memory hydrogels towards self-adaptive substrates for bioelectronics

Shape-changing smart substrates are revolutionizing implantable bioelectronics by offering minimal invasiveness and self-adaptive geometric conformity. However, precise manipulation of shapeshifting, which is critical for the successful implantation, are hindered by triggering accessibility and cumbersome customization. Here we introduce a digital 4D printing technique for fabricating customized shape memory hydrogel substrates enabling trigger-free shapeshifting with predefined onset periods. By controlling spatio-temporal light exposure, pixelated polymer sheets with heterogeneous networks are obtained, yielding intricate 3D original shapes after monomer removal. Meanwhile, spatially controlled onset time of the programmable shape recovery is introduced, attributed to local variation of polymeric network structure and the corresponding thermally-induced phase separation. This approach allows the complex 3D objects to execute autonomous multi-stage shape recovery through a single-step digital exposure process, which is not offered by existing techniques. In addition, the material exhibits negligible inflammation proven by in-vivo testing of male mice experiments. Demonstrated with self-winding bioelectronics, this method advances time-dependent adaptability of implantable devices and expands the functional scope of bioelectronics.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-12-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67323-1
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Advanced Materials and Mechanics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.71

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article

4D printing of trigger-free shape-memory hydrogels towards self-adaptive substrates for bioelectronics

Ying Chen, Xiuming Jin, Di Chen, Chujun Ni et al.
1 citations
Nature Communications
Advanced Materials and Mechanics
0.71
article

4D printing of trigger-free shape-memory hydrogels towards self-adaptive substrates for bioelectronics

Ying Chen, Xiuming Jin, Di Chen, Chujun Ni, Guancong Chen, Ning Zheng, Yiting Sun, Kaichen Xu, Zhenwei Qin, Zizheng Fang, Baoyi Wu, Jingjun Wu, Qian Zhao, Chunlei Zhang, Ke Yao, Yuhua Zhang, Yizhou Qi, Ke Qiao, Qiuli Fu, Xirenayi Zhuoruo
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Shape-changing smart substrates are revolutionizing implantable bioelectronics by offering minimal invasiveness and self-adaptive geometric conformity. However, precise manipulation of shapeshifting, which is critical for the successful implantation, are hindered by triggering accessibility and cumbersome customization. Here we introduce a digital 4D printing technique for fabricating customized shape memory hydrogel substrates enabling trigger-free shapeshifting with predefined onset periods. By controlling spatio-temporal light exposure, pixelated polymer sheets with heterogeneous networks are obtained, yielding intricate 3D original shapes after monomer removal. Meanwhile, spatially controlled onset time of the programmable shape recovery is introduced, attributed to local variation of polymeric network structure and the corresponding thermally-induced phase separation. This approach allows the complex 3D objects to execute autonomous multi-stage shape recovery through a single-step digital exposure process, which is not offered by existing techniques. In addition, the material exhibits negligible inflammation proven by in-vivo testing of male mice experiments. Demonstrated with self-winding bioelectronics, this method advances time-dependent adaptability of implantable devices and expands the functional scope of bioelectronics.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 17(1)
Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology (BD), Ningbo University (CN), Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (CN), Zhejiang Cancer Hospital (CN), State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering (CN), Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (CN), Hangzhou Cancer Hospital (CN), China Jiliang University (CN), Zhejiang University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Zhejiang University, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering
Openalex Percentile: Top 24%
Advanced Materials and Mechanics
0.71
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