Summary:
UCLA researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering have developed a reusable bioadhesive that can provide strong adhesion to skin and living tissue when heated to body temperature and easily detached without damage at room temperature.
Background:
Adhesives have versatile applications to bond biological tissues or skin, for example, medical tapes, wound or surgical dressings, as well as to adhere medical devices, such as sensors, electrodes, and electrical power supply. High levels of adhesion are required to ensure that bound tissues do not detach from the tissue and cause additional trauma, damage, or irritation during use and/or removal. Reversible debonding-on-demand (DoD) adhesives offer strong adhesion and may be removed safely without causing damage to the substrate but most current reversible adhesives detach when exposed to ultraviolet light, treatment with a chemical or external heating, which are not suitable for use in reversible bioadhesives. Heat-induced debonding may be effective if the required temperature is not too high to cause skin or tissue damage. There is a need for a safe, reversible bioadhesive that responds at room and body temperature.
Innovation:
The present invention provides a reversible and reusable bioadhesive that bonds tissue/skin or medical devices at body temperature and may be readily detached by cooling to room temperature. At body temperature, the adhesive is tacky and pliable and forms strong adhesion and good mechanical compliancy with skin and tissue substrate. When it is cooled to room temperature, the adhesive becomes stiff, non-tacky and can be easily removed from the skin or tissue.
Demonstration Video:
Qibing Pei - Reversible Bioadhesive: 2021-139
Potential Applications:
- Wound healing
- E-skins
- Triboelectric nanogenerators
- Mechanosensitive communication system
- Bio-sensors
- Electrodes, and electrical power supplies
- Transdermal delivery devices
Advantages:
- Reversible Debonding-on-demand (DoD)
- Reversible adhesion at room vs body temperature without external equipment
- Optically transparent
- Stretchable
- Conformable
- Strong adhesion
- Easy detaching
- Biocompatible
- Reusable
- Non-hydrogel based
Development to Date:
To demonstrate the potential of the adhesive for E-skin applications, a debonding-on-demand triboelectric nanogenerator (DoD -TENG) was fabricated. DoD-TENG is a thin membrane functioning as a remote controller.
Related Papers:
Skin Temperature Triggered, Debonding-on-Demand Sticker for a Self-Powered Mechanosensitive Communication System