title: Hydrophilic Organic Electrodes on Flexible Hydrogels.
abstract: Prompted by the rapidly developing field of wearable electronics, research into biocompatible substrates and coatings is intensifying. Acrylate-based hydrogel polymers have gained widespread use as biocompatible articles in applications such as contact and intraocular lenses. Surface treatments and/or coatings present one strategy to further enhance the performance of these hydrogels or even realize novel functionality. In this study, the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is deposited from the vapor phase onto hydrated hydrogel substrates and blended with biocompatibilizing coconstituents incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) moieties. Plasma pretreatment of the dehydrated hydrogel substrate modifies its surface topography and chemical composition to facilitate the attachment of conductive PEDOT-based surface layers. Manipulating the vapor phase polymerization process and constituent composition, the PEDOT-based coating is engineered to be both hydrophilic (i.e. to promote biocompatibility) and highly conductive. The fabrication of this conductively coated hydrogel has implications for the future of wearable electronic devices.
authors.affiliation: Thin Film Coatings Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia , Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.|Department of Materials Science, ETH, Zurich , Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, 8093 Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.affiliation: Thin Film Coatings Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia , Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.|European School of Chemistry, Polymer and Materials Science, Universite de Strasbourg , Strasbourg F-67087, France.
authors.forename: Coralie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Celma
authors.affiliation: Thin Film Coatings Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia , Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.|ENSCBP, Polytechnique Institute of Bordeaux , Pessac 33607, France.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lebert
authors.affiliation: Thin Film Coatings Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia , Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Charrault
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Technology, Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Linkoping University , SE-601 74 Norrkoping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brooke
authors.affiliation: Thin Film Coatings Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia , Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Contamac Limited, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3 AU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.affiliation: Contamac Limited, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3 AU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Contamac Limited, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3 AU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higgs
authors.affiliation: Thin Film Coatings Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia , Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Drew
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004566:Electrodes; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D020100:Hydrogels; D058626:Plasma Gases; D011108:Polymers; C121383:poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene); D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
keywords: conducting polymers; contact lens; hydrophilicity; plasma treatment; vapor phase polymerization