Researchers Develop Electronics That Can Dissolve in Water or Bodily Fluids
Posted on September 28, 2012
Researchers at the University of Illinois, in collaboration with Tufts University and Northwestern University, have developed a biodegradable electronics technology. The electronics can dissolve in water or bodily fluids. The researchers say the technology could lead to new types of medical implants, environmental monitors and consumer devices. A biodegradable integrated circuit is pictured above during its dissolution in water.
John A. Rogers, the Lee J. Flory-Founder Professor of Engineering at the U. of I., who led the multidisciplinary research team, said in a statement, "We refer to this type of technology as transient electronics. From the earliest days of the electronics industry, a key design goal has been to build devices that last forever - with completely stable performance. But if you think about the opposite possibility - devices that are engineered to physically disappear in a controlled and programmed manner - then other, completely different kinds of application opportunities open up."
The electronics are made from silicon and magnesium oxide. The researchers have encapsulated the transient electronics in silk. The structure of the silk then determines the rate of dissolution, which can range from minutes to years.
Rogers also says, "A medical implant that is designed to deal with potential infections from surgical site incisions is only needed for a couple of weeks. But for a consumer electronic device, you'd want it to stick around at least for a year or two. The ability to use materials science to engineer those time frames becomes a critical aspect in design."
BBC News reports that the technology has already been used to heat up a wound to keep it from getting infected. The research was published here in the journal Science.