Amelia Scanio
Research Mentor: Alexandru Iordan
Mentor Department: Research Program on Cognition and Neuromodulation Based Interventions, Medicine
Author(s): Not Available
Session: Session 5 (2:00 PM – 2:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Abstract
Neuromodulation is a widely adopted therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Its therapeutic efficacy relies critically on a robust electrode–skin interface that maintains intimate mechanical contact and enables reliable electrical signal transmission. Polyelectrolyte-based hydrogels have emerged as promising interfacial materials due to their intrinsic adhesion and skin-like softness, enabling conformal contact with rough, irregular skin surfaces. However, their practical application is often limited by insufficient mechanical robustness, leading to rupture within the hydrogel and residue on the skin upon removal. Here, we introduce salt-induced microphase separation in polyelectrolyte-based hydrogels and demonstrate its effectiveness in enhancing mechanical robustness while preserving other key interfacial properties, including skin adhesion and ionic conductivity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal that sodium halide promotes the formation of distinct microphase-separated structures, generating polymer-rich domains that serve as effective load-bearing phases. The resulting hydrogel exhibits enhanced mechanical toughness, while simultaneously achieving strong skin adhesion and high ionic conductivity. These findings suggest salt-induced microphase separation as a simple and effective strategy for engineering mechanically robust and multifunctional hydrogel interfaces, offering strong potential for reliable, durable, and patient-friendly neuromodulation applications.
