Biocompatible and flexible transparent electrodes for skin-inspired sensing

In recent years, flexible electronics have experienced a massive growth as a response to the high demand for new skin-patch sensor devices targeted at personal health-monitoring. In this context, the incorporation of biopolymers into the backbone of these soft systems brings new opportunities in terms of biocompatibility and sustainability performance. However, the suitable integration of a conductive patterned material is still a challenge, in order to achieve good adhesion and high transparency. Thus, silver nanowires (AgNWs) constitute promising candidates for the fabrication of flexible transparent conductive films. Herein, a chitosan membrane doped with a plasticizer element was made conductive, through a one-step process, by using an optimized ratio of chitosan–lactic acid–AgNWs (Chi-LaA-AgNWs) dispersion. This formulation was applied using screen-printing, and the influence of the polymer ratio, cure temperature, and number of layers applied with the AgNW-based ink was investigated. Compared with conventional water-based AgNW dispersions, the here-proposed chitosan-doped ink enabled the fabrication of transparent electrode platforms holding good stability, homogeneity, and electrical features.This research was funded by the SmartBioPatch project (Self-indicated biosensors integrated into flexible membranes of natural origin for application in chronic wounds), with the reference EXPL/EMD-EMD/1095/2021, financed by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)