Nanofiber networks are essential structures in natural biological tissues, which exhibit a combination of mechanical flexibility, fracture resistance, and mass permeability to enable many important physiological functions. Inspired by natural soft tissues, we exploit biomimetic nanofiber networks as building blocks for the construction of a variety of bio-integrated soft devices. A key component in these materials and devices is aramid nanofiber (ANF). With appropriate solvent-based processing steps, the ANFs self-organize into hyperconnective networks, which capture some of the key features of load-bearing soft tissues. They also exhibit tissue-mimetic physical properties and microstructural reconfigurability, which are beneficial for device applications. The composites can be functionalized with bioactive molecules or soft electronic components for interfacing with cells and tissues. In this presentation, I will introduce some of our recent works ranging from electroconductive hydrogels and wearable devices to theoretical modeling and meso-structural designs. These works address the fundamental physical mismatches between biomedical devices and biological soft tissues, paving the way for the development of advanced wearable human-machine interfaces, implantable electronics, tissue engineering platforms, and other biomedical systems.
Reference
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