Development of an electrically responsive hydrogel for programmable in situ immobilization within a microfluidic device

Ambrožič, Rok (author), Plazl, Igor (author)

A novel microfluidic channel device with programmable in situ formation of a hydrogel 3D network was designed. A biocompatible hybrid material consisting of iron ion-crosslinked alginate was used as the active porous medium. The sol–gel transition of the alginate was controlled by the oxidation state of Fe ions and regulated by an external electrical signal through an integrated gold plate electrode. The SEM images, FT-IR analysis, and rheological test demonstrated that homogeneous yet programmable hydrogel films were formed. The higher the concentration of the crosslinker (Fe(III)), the smaller the pore and mesh size of the hydrogel. Moreover, the hydrogel thickness and volume were tailored by controlling the deposition time and the strength of electric current density. The as-prepared system was employed as an active medium for immobilization of target molecules, using BSA as a drug-mimicking protein. The reductive potential (activated by switching the current direction) caused dissolution of the hydrogel and consequently the release of BSA and Fe. The diffusion of the entrapped molecules was optimally adjusted by varying the dissolution conditions and the initial formulations. Finally, the altering electrical conditions confirm the programmable nature of the electrically responsive material and highlight its wide-ranging application potential.

• Language: English
• Keywords: hydrogel, electric signal, microdevice, stimuli responsive material
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: Str. 6751-6764
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 28
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-136182
• UDC: 66.02:678
• ISSN on article: 1744-683X
• DOI: 10.1039/D1SM00510C
• COBISS.SI-ID: 67359491
• Publication date in RUL: 15.04.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Soft matter
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• ISSN: 1744-683X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 19616551

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 3.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
• Description: You are free to reproduce and redistribute the material in any medium or format. You are free to remix, transform, and build upon the material. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. You may not use the material for commercial purposes. You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: hidrogel, električni signal, mikronaprava, odzivni material