Directional Anchoring Doping Networks for Robust Polymeric Bioelectronics

The development of conductive polymers that simultaneously achieve high electrical conductivity and tissue-like stretchability represents a persistent challenge in bioelectronics. Here, we demonstrate an "anchoring-buffering" molecular design strategy that overcomes this limitation through rationally designed in situ polymerizable hydroxyalkyl acrylate (HAX) dopants in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS). Our dopant architecture features rigid acrylate groups that are inferred to maintain conjugation pathways by preferentially interacting with less conjugated PEDOT regions, and hydroxyl-terminated alkyl spacers that form a dynamic hydrogen-bond network for strain dissipation. By systematically varying alkyl chain lengths (HA0 to HA4), we optimize electrostatic screening to improve doping efficiency and π-stacking order, achieving a composite film with exceptional performance (850 S/cm conductivity and 88% elongation) that surpasses existing stretchable conductive polymers. When integrated into conformal biointerfaces, the electrode maintains stable electrophysiological signal acquisition (EMG/ECG/EEG) with 99.5% gesture recognition accuracy after 24 h of continuous wear, establishing a general molecular design framework to decouple conductivity and stretchability for next-generation wearable and implantable electronics.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Materials
Published
2026-03-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202520074
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Directional Anchoring Doping Networks for Robust Polymeric Bioelectronics

Peiji Liu, F. Y. Li, Tianbiao Liang, Jihe Tang et al.
Advanced Materials
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Directional Anchoring Doping Networks for Robust Polymeric Bioelectronics

Peiji Liu, F. Y. Li, Tianbiao Liang, Jihe Tang, Huajun Cao, Yaru Yue, Kuan Sun, Canglang Yao, Ducai Wang, Yao Huo, Xin Fan, Xiaoxue Lin, Shanshan Chen, Sangjin Yang, Changduk Yang, Dong Wang
article en

Abstract

The development of conductive polymers that simultaneously achieve high electrical conductivity and tissue-like stretchability represents a persistent challenge in bioelectronics. Here, we demonstrate an "anchoring-buffering" molecular design strategy that overcomes this limitation through rationally designed in situ polymerizable hydroxyalkyl acrylate (HAX) dopants in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS). Our dopant architecture features rigid acrylate groups that are inferred to maintain conjugation pathways by preferentially interacting with less conjugated PEDOT regions, and hydroxyl-terminated alkyl spacers that form a dynamic hydrogen-bond network for strain dissipation. By systematically varying alkyl chain lengths (HA0 to HA4), we optimize electrostatic screening to improve doping efficiency and π-stacking order, achieving a composite film with exceptional performance (850 S/cm conductivity and 88% elongation) that surpasses existing stretchable conductive polymers. When integrated into conformal biointerfaces, the electrode maintains stable electrophysiological signal acquisition (EMG/ECG/EEG) with 99.5% gesture recognition accuracy after 24 h of continuous wear, establishing a general molecular design framework to decouple conductivity and stretchability for next-generation wearable and implantable electronics.

Advanced Materials
Chongqing University (CN), Fudan University (CN), Sanya University (CN), Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (CN), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (KR), Hainan Medical University (CN)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
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