Congratulations to master's student Jiqing Dai for his article being included in Device!

Recently, Associate Professor Kai Xiao's group published a research article titled "Artificial Nerve for Neuromodulation based on Structured Piezoionic Hydrogel" in the Device journal. Jiqing Dai, a 202 graduate student, is the first author of the paper, and Bin Tu, associate researcher of the National Nanoscience Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Ji Liu, associate professors of the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering of South University of Science and Technology, and associate professor Kai Xiao, are the corresponding authors of the paper.

Absract：Inspired by the piezoionic mechanism of tactile vesicles, we present an artificial nerve based on a structured piezoionic hydrogel with integrated functions of sensing, spatiotemporal integration, and neuromodulation. The structured hydrogel is a biocompatible complex with oriented PET (poly(ethylene terephthalate)) microfibers, which can convert pressure stimuli into piezoionic signals benefiting from the different ion diffusion coefficients in the charged matrixes, demonstrating the potential for neuroprosthesis construction.

Biological neurons can realize external perception and interneural communication by ion transport. For sensory bio-interaction, traditional sensory systems require sensor arrays with high-density units and a biocompatible neural interface for signal communication with biological tissues, limiting its application for advanced prosthetics.

Figure 1. Schematic representation of  comparison between the human pressure sensory system and the hydrogel-based piezoionic artificial nerve, and the detailed structure of the composite hydrogel.

In comparison, the biological pressure perception system is an integrated system composed of pressure receptors, afferent nerves, and synapses to perceive stimuli efficiently with low power consumption (< 20 W), benefiting from the ion transport through mechanosensitive Ca²⁺ channels and electrically responsive Na⁺/K⁺ channels. Inspired by the biological sensing mechanism, piezoionic systems relying on force-induced ion fluxes in hydrogel networks are capable of direct neuromodulation without applying voltage, showing promise for a self-powered artificial sensory nerve.

Figure 2. Self-powered neuromodulation of sciatic nerves through the piezoionic artificial nerve.

Links: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.device.2024.100436