Lee Kihyun, Linares Gutierrez Osvaldo, Bai Wubin
Department of Applied Physical Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, USA.
Mater Horiz. 2025 Jul 22. doi: 10.1039/d5mh00831j.
The widespread utility of single-use bioelectronic devices, particularly disposable electrodes for electrophysiological monitoring, raises environmental concerns due to increased medical waste and non-biodegradable materials. This underscores the growing demand for wearable electrode systems that deliver high signal fidelity while adhering to sustainability principles. This study presents a recyclable, wearable electrode patch incorporating a gelatin matrix embedded in TiCT MXene non-woven fibers manufactured wet spinning. This design enables repeated reprocessing at low temperatures, around 40 °C, due to the thermoreversible solution-gel properties of gelatin, allowing for multiple cycles of reuse without performance degradation. The MXene/gelatin non-woven structure maintains high conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and skin compatibility while exhibiting excellent breathability. The fine fiber structure and controlled deposition provide enhanced interfacial electrical conductivity and adjustable density depending on fiber diameter. As a result, the manufactured non-woven fabric electrode demonstrates low impedance, a high signal-to-noise ratio, and reliable acquisition of bio-signals from skin. Electrocardiogram and electromyogram measurements showed stable performance even after recycling, proving the potential of conventional electrodes as an alternative. This study presents an integrated approach that achieves both functional performance and environmental sustainability in eco-friendly bioelectronics.
一次性生物电子设备的广泛应用，尤其是用于电生理监测的一次性电极，由于医疗废物增加和不可生物降解材料的使用，引发了环境问题。这凸显了对可穿戴电极系统的需求不断增长，这类系统在遵循可持续性原则的同时，还能提供高信号保真度。本研究展示了一种可回收的可穿戴电极贴片，它包含一种嵌入通过湿法纺丝制造的TiCT MXene非织造纤维中的明胶基质。由于明胶具有热可逆的溶液-凝胶特性，这种设计能够在约40°C的低温下进行重复再加工，从而实现多次重复使用且性能不下降。MXene/明胶非织造结构保持了高导电性、机械柔韧性和皮肤兼容性，同时展现出出色的透气性。精细的纤维结构和可控的沉积过程根据纤维直径提供了增强的界面导电性和可调节的密度。因此，所制造的非织造织物电极表现出低阻抗、高信噪比，并能可靠地从皮肤采集生物信号。心电图和肌电图测量结果表明，即使在回收后，该电极仍具有稳定的性能，证明了其作为传统电极替代品的潜力。本研究提出了一种综合方法，在环保型生物电子学中实现了功能性能和环境可持续性的双重目标。
