Printed Low-Cost PEDOT:PSS/PVA Polymer Composite for Radiation Sterilization Monitoring

Abstract

During the γ-radiation sterilization process, the levels of radiation exposure to a medical device must be carefully monitored to achieve the required sterilization without causing deleterious effects on its intended physical and chemical properties. To address this issue, here we have demonstrated the development of an all-printed disposable low-cost sensor that exploits the change in electrical impedance of a semi-interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN) composed of poly­(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly­(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as a functional polymer composite for radiation sterilization monitoring applications. Specifically, the PEDOT:PSS acts as the electrically conductive medium, while the PVA provides the ductility and stability of the printed sensors. During irradiation exposure, chain scission and cross-linking events occur concurrently in the PEDOT:PSS and PVA polymer chains, respectively. The concurrent scissoring of the PEDOT polymer and cross-linking of the PVA polymer network leads to the formation of a stable SIPN with reduced electrical conductivity, which was verified through FTIR, Raman, and TGA analysis. Systematic studies of different ratios of PEDOT:PSS and PVA mixtures were tested to identify the optimal ratio that provided the highest radiation sensitivity and stability performance. The results showed that PEDOT:PSS/PVA composites with 10 wt % PVA produced sensors with relative impedance changes of 30% after 25 kGy and up to 370% after 53 kGy (which are two of the most commonly used radiation exposure levels for sterilization applications). This composition showed high electrical impedance stability with less than ±5% change over 18 days after irradiation exposure. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing a printing technology for scalable manufacturing of low-cost, flexible radiation sensors for more effective monitoring of radiation sterilization processes.

Organic electronic transmembrane device for hosting and monitoring 3D cell cultures

“…We further investigated the development of composite e-transmembranes based on PEDOT:PSS/polymer [such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)] and PEDOT:PSS/oligosaccharides (such as maltose and cellobiose). PEDOT:PSS/PVA is a commonly used system for bioelectronic interfaces and sensors ( 39 , 40 ), while PEDOT:PSS/saccharides complexes have recently shown very promising properties for use in 3D cell cultures, as they combine conductivity and biocompatibility ( 16 ). For that purpose, before the freeze-drying process, pristine PEDOT:PSS solution is mixed with PVA (40 mg/ml in H 2 O) or with maltose (20 mg/ml in H 2 O) or cellobiose (40 mg/ml in H 2 O) in a 1:2 (v/v) ratio.…”

Cold Atmospheric Plasma-Assisted Direct Deposition of Polypyrrole-Ag Nanocomposites for Flexible Electronic Sensors

“…All electrical resistance measurements were performed with a 2400 SourceMeter multimeter in a two-probe configuration at room temperature and 40% RH. The sheet resistance and conductivity of the films were calculated using the following set of equations R = R normals normall w R normals = ρ t σ = 1 ρ where R is the measured DC resistance, R s is the sheet resistance of the specimen, l , w , and t are the specimen’s length, width, and thickness, respectively, and ρ is the material’s resistivity, and σ represents the conductivity of the material. , …”

A wireless chipless printed sensor tag for real-time radiation sterilization monitoring

“…38 It was observed that in contrast to non-radiated PEDOT (0 kGy), the bands associated with the CQC and C-C bonds broaden upon gamma radiation exposure, revealing the structural changes attributed to amorphism and chain scission of the conjugate structure of PEDOT chains, hence hindering its electrical conductivity. 39 Moreover, the significant decrease in the intensity of the bands associated with C-S and C-O-C bonds after radiation exposure can also be attributed to the chain scission which led to a significant decrease in conductivity.…”