Da Silva, A.C. orcid.org/0000-0002-6258-9506, Hu, X. orcid.org/0009-0008-3731-2012, Paschoal, V.H. orcid.org/0000-0002-0935-3772 et al. (4 more authors) (2025) Bipolar electrochemistry-driven wireless drug loading and energy harvesting in conductive hybrid hydrogels. Communications Materials, 6 (1). 28. ISSN 2662-4443
Abstract
Bipolar electrochemistry enables wireless and spatially controlled redox reactions on (semi)conductive objects immersed in an electrolyte. Here, we investigate advanced bipolar electrochemistry applications using flexible bipolar electrodes coated with hybrid films of conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and alginate hydrogels. These coatings allow for the wireless creation of reversible redox and chemical gradients, providing targeted drug loading and energy harvesting opportunities. We use cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Raman microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to characterize distinct redox regions within the bipolar electrode. The wireless and selective loading of a model drug, fluorescein, into the hydrogel, demonstrated control over drug distribution, suggesting an alternative to conventional uniform doping techniques. Furthermore, cutting the gradient-encoded bipolar electrode and closing an external circuit between the halves, enables energy recovery through a concentration cell mechanism. Our findings illustrate the potential of bipolar electrochemistry in creating versatile platforms that bridge materials science, electrochemistry, and bioelectronics for innovative biomedical and energy applications.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. |
Keywords: | Biotechnology; Gels and hydrogels; Materials science |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > Department of Neuroscience (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 19 Feb 2025 14:18 |
Last Modified: | 19 Feb 2025 14:18 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s43246-025-00750-1 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:223420 |