Meanwhile, according to the paper, power supply units attached to transdermal chargers can cause inflammation, and units powered by non-rechargeable batteries may need to be surgically replaced, which could lead to complications.
To address this gap, the researchers proposed a wireless implantable power system with “simultaneous high energy storage performance and preferred tissue interfacing properties”, as its soft and flexible design allows it to adapt to the shape of tissue and organs. Allows.
The power supply and storage device created by a team of Chinese scientists is biodegradable and wireless. Photo: Lanzhou University
The wireless power supply device consists of a magnesium coil, which charges the device when an external transmitting coil is placed over the skin over the implant.
The power received by the magnesium coil passes through a circuit before entering an energy storage module made of zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors.
Supercapacitors store electricity as electrical energy, compared to batteries which store it as chemical energy.
According to the paper, while supercapacitors store less energy per unit volume, they have higher power density and so can discharge higher amounts of energy continuously.
The prototype power supply system – contained in a flexible biodegradable chip-like implant – integrates energy harvesting and energy storage into a single device.
According to the paper, power can flow through the circuit directly into the attached bioelectronic device, as well as into the supercapacitor, where it is stored “to ensure continuous, reliable power output” after charging is complete.
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Both zinc and magnesium are essential for the human body, and researchers note that the amount present in the device is below the daily intake level, making the dissolvable implants bio-compatible.
The entire device is wrapped in polymer and wax, which can bend and twist according to the structure of the tissue in which it is placed.
Testing of the device on rats showed that it could work effectively for up to 10 days, and completely dissolve within two months.
According to the paper, the lifetime of the device can be changed by changing the thickness and chemistry of the encapsulation layer.
The paper states that drug delivery systems can be integrated into various tissues and organs of the body, and “play an important role in localized, on-demand drug delivery and therapy”.
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Robot prototype 3D prints biomaterial inside human body, reducing surgical risks
Robot prototype 3D prints biomaterial inside human body, reducing surgical risks
To demonstrate the functionality of the power supply, the researchers connected the stacked supercapacitor to a receiving coil and a biodegradable drug delivery device and implanted it in mice. The implanted prototype was not encapsulated into a single device – it consisted of separate encapsulated pieces joined together.
The drug delivery device containing the anti-inflammatory drug was implanted into mice with yeast-induced fever. During the 12-hour monitoring, the temperature of the group without implants was significantly higher than that of the group with implants.
The researchers said there was still a problem with turning the device on and off, as it would only turn off when it ran out of power – but they said controlled triggering of charging could control the on-off period.
The researchers said that some of the inactive drug was also released in the rats that were given the uncharged implant, as the temperatures recorded in this group also decreased compared to the control group.
However, the paper states that the prototype “represents an important step forward in advancing a wide range of transient implantable bioelectronic devices with the potential to provide effective and reliable energy solutions”.