Low‐Cost Manufacturing of Bioresorbable Conductors by Evaporation–Condensation‐Mediated Laser Printing and Sintering of Zn Nanoparticles

Currently, bioresorbable electronic devices are predominantly fabricated by complex and expensive vacuum‐based integrated circuit (IC) processes. Here, a low‐cost manufacturing approach for bioresorbable conductors on bioresorbable polymer substrates by evaporation–condensation‐mediated laser printing and sintering of Zn nanoparticle is reported. Laser sintering of Zn nanoparticles has been technically difficult due to the surface oxide on nanoparticles. To circumvent the surface oxide, a novel approach is discovered to print and sinter Zn nanoparticle facilitated by evaporation–condensation in confined domains. The printing process can be performed on low‐temperature substrates in ambient environment allowing easy integration on a roll‐to‐roll platform for economical manufacturing of bioresorbable electronics. The fabricated Zn conductors show excellent electrical conductivity (≈1.124 × 10⁶ S m^?1), mechanical durability, and water dissolvability. Successful demonstration of strain gauges confirms the potential application in various environmentally friendly sensors and circuits.     

Materials and Fabrication Processes for Transient and Bioresorbable High‐Performance Electronics

Materials and fabrication procedures are described for bioresorbable transistors and simple integrated circuits, in which the key processing steps occur on silicon wafer substrates, in schemes compatible with methods used in conventional microelectronics. The approach relies on an unusual type of silicon on insulator wafer to yield devices that exploit ultrathin sheets of monocrystalline silicon for the semiconductor, thin films of magnesium for the electrodes and interconnects, silicon dioxide and magnesium oxide for the dielectrics, and silk for the substrates. A range of component examples with detailed measurements of their electrical characteristics and dissolution properties illustrate the capabilities. In vivo toxicity tests demonstrate biocompatibility in sub‐dermal implants. The results have significance for broad classes of water‐soluble, “transient” electronic devices.     

Improve the Strength of PLA/HA Composite Through the Use of Surface Initiated Polymerization and Phosphonic Acid Coupling Agent

Bioresorbable composite made from degradable polymers, e.g., polylactide (PLA), and bioactive calcium phosphates, e.g., hydroxyapatite (HA), are clinically desirable for bone fixation, repair and tissue engineering because they do not need to be removed by surgery after the bone heals. However, preparation of PLA/HA composite from non-modified HA usually results in mechanical strength reductions due to a weak interface between PLA and HA. In this study, a calcium-phosphate/phosphonate hybrid shell was developed to introduce a greater amount of reactive hydroxyl groups onto the HA particles. Then, PLA was successfully grafted on HA by surface-initiated polymerization through the non-ionic surface hydroxyl groups. Thermogravimetric analysis indiated that the amount of grafted PLA on HA can be up to 7 %, which is about 50 % greater than that from the literature. PLA grafted HA shows significantly different pH dependent ζ-potential and particle size profiles from those of uncoated HA. By combining the phosphonic acid coupling agent and surface initiated polymerization, PLA could directly link to HA through covalent bond so that the interfacial interaction in the PLA/HA composite can be significantly improved. The diametral tensile strength of PLA/HA composite prepared from PLA-grafted HA was found to be over twice that of the composite prepared from the non-modified HA. Moreover, the tensile strength of the improved composite was 23 % higher than that of PLA alone. By varying additional variables, this approach has the potential to produce bioresorbable composites with improved mechanical properties that are in the range of natural bones, and can have wide applications for bone fixation and repair in load-bearing areas.     

25th Anniversary Article: Materials for High‐Performance Biodegradable Semiconductor Devices

We review recent progress in a class of silicon‐based electronics that is capable of complete, controlled dissolution when immersed in water or bio‐fluids. This type of technology, referred to in a broader sense as transient electronics, has potential applications in resorbable biomedical devices, eco‐friendly electronics, environmental sensors, secure hardware systems and others. New results reported here include studies of the kinetics of hydrolysis of nanomembranes of single crystalline silicon in bio‐fluids and aqueous solutions at various pH levels and temperatures. Evaluations of toxicity using live animal models and test coupons of transient electronic materials provide some evidence of their biocompatibility, thereby suggesting potential for use in bioresorbable electronic implants.     

Impact of Fluid Dynamics on the Viability and Differentiation Capacity of 3D-Cultured Jaw Periosteal Cells

Perfused bioreactor systems are considered to be a promising approach for the 3D culturing of stem cells by improving the quality of the tissue-engineered grafts in terms of better cell proliferation and deeper penetration of used scaffold materials. Our study aims to establish an optimal perfusion culture system for jaw periosteal cell (JPC)-seeded scaffolds. For this purpose, we used beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds as a three-dimensional structure for cell growth and osteogenic differentiation. Experimental set-ups of tangential and sigmoidal fluid configurations with medium flow rates of 100 and 200 µL/min were applied within the perfusion system. Cell metabolic activities of 3D-cultured JPCs under dynamic conditions with flow rates of 100 and 200 µL/min were increased in the tendency after 1, and 3 days of culture, and were significantly increased after 5 days. Significantly higher cell densities were detected under the four perfused conditions compared to the static condition at day 5. However, cell metabolic and proliferation activity under dynamic conditions showed flow rate independency in our study. In this study, dynamic conditions increased the expression of osteogenic markers (ALPL, COL1A1, RUNX2, and OCN) compared to static conditions and the tangential configuration showed a stronger osteogenic effect than the sigmoidal flow configuration.     

生物可吸收储存式药物控释载体制备研究

针对骨科疾病治疗中传统的用药方式存在的问题,研究制备了一种生物可吸收靶向式药物控释载体。首先在体外模拟天然骨的生物矿化过程,利用材料的自组装机制合成了羟基磷灰石／胶原类骨仿生复合材料,再采用热致分相／非溶剂抽提成孔技术进一步与聚乳酸复合制备了三维多孔储存式药物控释载体。通过对材料的表征和模型化合物控释实验,结果显示羟基磷灰石／胶原复合材料与天然骨类似,羟基磷灰石／胶原／聚乳酸储存式载体能达到控制释放的目的。     

Nanoliter Liquid Packaging in a Bioresorbable Microsystem by Additive Manufacturing and its Application as a Controlled Drug Delivery Device

Precise packaging of nanoliter amounts of liquid in a microsystem is important for many biomedical applications. However, existing liquid encapsulation technologies have limitations in terms of liquid waste, evaporation, trapped bubbles, and liquid degradation. In this study, multiple additive manufacturing techniques for nanoliter liquid packaging in bioresorbable microsystems is used. Two-photon photolithography is used for bioresorbable reservoir fabrication, while inkjet printing (IJP) is used for precise nanoliter liquid packaging. Dual IJP allows for micro-reservoirs to be filled with precise amounts of drug solution and subsequently and rapidly sealed with a layer of lipids mixed with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. Combining these two printing techniques can overcome the previous limitations of liquid encapsulation technologies. To demonstrate the relevance of this technique, a wirelessly activated, bioresorbable multi-reservoir microcapsule that can be used for controlled drug delivery is presented. The microcapsules and their content are shown to be stable during fabrication, storage, and operation. Multiple cargo release events are triggered independently by the local melting of the sealing layer, resulting from magnetically induced Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle heating. The operation of the capsule is demonstrated in tissue phantoms and in vitro cell cultures.     

Room Temperature Electrochemical Sintering of Zn Microparticles and Its Use in Printable Conducting Inks for Bioresorbable Electronics

This study describes a conductive ink formulation that exploits electrochemical sintering of Zn microparticles in aqueous solutions at room temperature. This material system has relevance to emerging classes of biologically and environmentally degradable electronic devices. The sintering process involves dissolution of a surface passivation layer of zinc oxide in CH₃COOH/H₂O and subsequent self‐exchange of Zn and Zn²⁺ at the Zn/H₂O interface. The chemical specificity associated with the Zn metal and the CH₃COOH/H₂O solution is critically important, as revealed by studies of other material combinations. The resulting electrochemistry establishes the basis for a remarkably simple procedure for printing highly conductive (3 × 10⁵ S m^?1) features in degradable materials at ambient conditions over large areas, with key advantages over strategies based on liquid phase (fusion) sintering that requires both oxide‐free metal surfaces and high temperature conditions. Demonstrations include printed magnetic loop antennas for near‐field communication devices.     

Materials,Processes, and Facile Manufacturing for Bioresorbable Electronics: A Review

Bioresorbable electronics refer to a new class of advanced electronics that can completely dissolve or disintegrate with environmentally and biologically benign byproducts in water and biofluids. They have provided a solution to the growing electronic waste problem with applications in temporary usage of electronics such as implantable devices and environmental sensors. Bioresorbable materials such as biodegradable polymers, dissolvable conductors, semiconductors, and dielectrics are extensively studied, enabling massive progress of bioresorbable electronic devices. Processing and patterning of these materials are predominantly relying on vacuum‐based fabrication methods so far. However, for the purpose of commercialization, nonvacuum, low‐cost, and facile manufacturing/printing approaches are the need of the hour. Bioresorbable electronic materials are generally more chemically reactive than conventional electronic materials, which require particular attention in developing the low‐cost manufacturing processes in ambient environment. This review focuses on material reactivity, ink availability, printability, and process compatibility for facile manufacturing of bioresorbable electronics.