Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, led by Professor John Rogers, PhD, are taking on the challenge of health and sustainability issues simultaneously by developing a vast toolbox of materials—from magnesium and silicon to silk and even rice paper—to make biodegradable electronics that can potentially be used in a range of applications. For the conductor, for the semiconductor, for the insulating layer, and the package, and the substrate, one can pick and choose materials depending on the application’s requirements, they said. Rogers’ team is working to incorporate some of these elements in implantable sensors that can, for example, detect the early onset of swelling and temperature changes in the brain after head injuries and then vanish when they’re no longer needed. Currently, devices designed for these purposes are wired and need to be implanted and then completely removed once they’re no longer needed. Rogers’ sensor could be implanted but work wirelessly and, disappear after use, eliminating the risk of infection and other complications associated with surgical removal.

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Topics:
Materials Medical