title: Syringe-injectable electronics.
abstract: Seamless and minimally invasive three-dimensional interpenetration of electronics within artificial or natural structures could allow for continuous monitoring and manipulation of their properties. Flexible electronics provide a means for conforming electronics to non-planar surfaces, yet targeted delivery of flexible electronics to internal regions remains difficult. Here, we overcome this challenge by demonstrating the syringe injection (and subsequent unfolding) of sub-micrometre-thick, centimetre-scale macroporous mesh electronics through needles with a diameter as small as 100 μm. Our results show that electronic components can be injected into man-made and biological cavities, as well as dense gels and tissue, with >90% device yield. We demonstrate several applications of syringe-injectable electronics as a general approach for interpenetrating flexible electronics with three-dimensional structures, including (1) monitoring internal mechanical strains in polymer cavities, (2) tight integration and low chronic immunoreactivity with several distinct regions of the brain, and (3) in vivo multiplexed neural recording. Moreover, syringe injection enables the delivery of flexible electronics through a rigid shell, the delivery of large-volume flexible electronics that can fill internal cavities, and co-injection of electronics with other materials into host structures, opening up unique applications for flexible electronics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Tian-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.|National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, 11 Beiyitiao Street, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zengguang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Guosong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Madhavi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duvvuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kruskal
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Suo
authors.affiliation: National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, 11 Beiyitiao Street, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.|School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lieber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004582:Electronics, Medical / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D051379:Mice; D008845:Microinjections / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013594:Syringes; D014159:Transducers