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Abstract_Senetntxu Lanceros-Mendez_Electroactive Polymers for Biomedical Applications: Quo Vadis?

ELECTROACTIVE POLYMERS FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS: QUO VADIS?

Senentxu LANCEROS-MENDEZ^1,2,3

¹ Physics Center of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP) and LaPMET - Laboratory of Physics for Materials and Emergent Technologies, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal

² BCMaterials, Basque Centre for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park, 48940 Leioa, Spain

³ IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain

*Correspondence: senentxu.lanceros@bcmaterials.net

ABSTRACT

Active and multifunctional materials are increasingly used in the biomedical area, from the development of biomedical monitoring and actuator systems to regenerative medicine, in order to provide specific clues to the cells. In particular, the use of electroactive polymers, able to convert mechanical signals into electrical ones and vice-versa, open exciting scientific and technological opportunities, allowing the development of continuous monitoring and wireless actuation of biomedically relevant signals such as heart rate, breath, positions, and postures, as well as the development of dynamically active microenvironments for bone, muscle, heart and neural regeneration, among others. Further, they are becoming increasingly relevant in the implementation of antibacterial strategies. Thus, electroative materials are called to be essential players in the implementation of advanced tissue regeneration strategies, as well as in the area of continuous monitoring and actuation in wearable technolgies.

This talk reports on electoactive materials for biomedicine: the most used materials and morphologies will be reported, together with their modification with specific functional nanofillers, including magnetic and gold nanoparticles or ionic liquids, allowing to improve and modulate functional response. Further, processing tecnologies and materials designs will be discussed, in realtion with improved integration and functional response.  The main achievements, challenges and future needs of electroactive materials in the scope of biomedical applications will be presented and discussed [1,2].

Acknowledgements

Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN): PID2022-138572OB-C42, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, FEDER, UE. IKUR Strategy of the Department of Education of the Basque Government. Project BIOIMP_ACE_MAS_6_E, Interreg VI-A Spain-Portugal Programme (POCTEP) 2021-2027. Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT): UID/04650/CFUM-UP (2025-2029).

References

1. Costa CM, et al. Smart and Multifunctional Materials Based on Electroactive Poly(vinylidene fluoride): Recent Advances and Opportunities in Sensors, Actuators, Energy, Environmental, and Biomedical Applications. Chemical Reviews. 2023;123:11392-487, DOI:10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00196
2. M. Correia. et al., Ionic Liquid–Polymer Composites: A New Platform for Multifunctional Applications, Adv. Func. Materials. 2020, 30 (24), DOI:10.1002/adfm.201909736