Wearable healthcare devices, specified arsenic glucose monitors and bosom monitors, are celebrated owed to their expertise to stitchery real-time information that supports users' wellness and safety.
However, contempt their benefits, these devices must often beryllium worn connected nan arms aliases thorax for a agelong play of time. They tin irritate nan skin, origin allergic reactions, and go obstructed by moisture and sweat.
Dr. Jaime Grunlan, Leland T. Jordan '29 Chair Professor successful nan J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering astatine Texas A&M University, has developed a caller type of adhesive - nan first of its benignant - that could connection a much comfortable replacement for medical device users.
This investigation was precocious published successful Macromolecular Rapid Communications.
For galore years, Grunlan has worked to create one-pot polyelectrolyte-complex (PEC) coatings for flame-retardant treatments connected materials specified arsenic foam, cloth and wood. When he realized nan inherent properties of PECs, specified arsenic their stickiness, he saw an opportunity to grow nan usage of PEC adhesive to wearable biomedical devices.
Most existent technologies usage hydrophobic, pressure-sensitive adhesives to adhere to various parts of nan body. Although applicable and often necessary, these commercial-grade devices usage solvent-based adhesives consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, aliases colophonium, which tin irritate nan skin, pinch users reporting rashes, inflammation, itchiness and redness.
In contrast, since PECs are water-based, nan imaginable discomfort and irritation connected nan tegument could beryllium reduced. Additionally, its water-based quality would mean moisture would apt amended adhesion. For example, nan brackish successful sweat could summation nan level of adhesion.
To our knowledge, nary 1 has utilized a PEC arsenic an adhesive for wearable aesculapian devices. We were capable to create and patent a PEC that tin lucifer nan adhesive spot of 3M Tegaderm adhesive. Tegaderm is simply a 'cyanoacrylate' polymer that is solvent-based, but galore group kick owed to nan tegument irritation that often comes along."
Dr. Jaime Grunlan, Texas A&M University
This activity is still successful its early stages but offers a unsocial replacement to accepted adhesives pinch galore affirmative benefits for people pinch diabetes, bosom problems, slumber disorders and more.
Contributors to nan investigation see general doctoral students, Drs. Maya Montemayor and Ethan Iverson. Additionally, Dr. Balakrishna Haridas from nan Department of Biomechanical Engineering astatine Texas A&M and his laboratory performed biocompatibility testing to people this work.
The investigation was made imaginable pinch nan support of Dr. Gerard L. Cote done nan Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations Engineering Research Center astatine Texas A&M and is portion of an Army Phase II SBIR.
Source:
Journal reference:
Montemayor, M. D., et al. (2025). Polyelectrolyte Complex Coacervate Adhesive for Wearable Medical Devices. Macromolecular Rapid Communications. doi.org/10.1002/marc.202500117.