Inorganic dissolvable electronics: materials and devices for biomedicine and environment
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Recent advancement of inorganic dissolvable electronics nucleates around a realization that single-crystal silicon nanomembrane undergoes hydrolysis in biologically relevant conditions. The silicon-based high-performance dissolvable electronic devices are initially conceived for biomedical implants that function for a programmed timeframe followed by a complete dissolution to eliminate the need for recollection. The technology developed for biomedicine also presents unique opportunities in security devices that physically destruct and in environmentally benign electronics that dissolve without a trace to reduce electronic wastes. The new class of devices with this emerging technology complements the existing efforts in organic biodegradable devices. Compatible with state-of-the-art fabrication facilities for commercial microelectronics, the technology has a huge potential for future commercialization. This mini review will first discuss the relevant materials for the inorganic dissolvable electronics and then present the demonstrated applications in functional devices, followed by a perspective for the future developments. I. INTRODUCTION
Implantable devices have drawn increasing attention due to their unique roles in biomedical applications, ranging from defibrillator and ventricular assist devices for heart failure1–3 to drug delivery systems4,5 and tissue engineering scaffolds,6 to brain-machine interfaces7,8 and hybrid artificial organs.9 Such devices can be broadly classified into two categories: one that is designed to last permanently as a hallmark of modern electronics and the other that dissolves and resorbs in the human body after operation. Most of the past developments fall into the former, whereas the latter is only available in certain passive devices, such as resorbable sutures,10 matrix for drug delivery,11–13 cardiovascular stents,14,15 and platescrew systems for fixation.16 However, there still exists an unaddressed need to develop high-performance electronic devices that can actively sense, actuate, and communicate in the human body.17–19 Devices developed around year 2010 attempted to address this goal by using water-soluble materials for certain constitute components20,21 or exploring nondissolvable components on a dissolvable silk substrate.22 Although such schemes provide some utilities in disposable electronic devices or even improve contact mechanics, the nondissolvable components limit their applications in implantable
Contributing Editor: Tao Xie a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.1557/jmr.2016.289
devices, as a second surgical operation would still be needed for retrieval. The ideal situation remains in the case that an implantable device functions for a biologically relevant timeframe followed by a complete dissolution via resorption in the human body, eliminating the complication23 and the need for recollection.24 Recent developments of inorganic dissolvable devices nucleate around a realization that semiconductor grade crystalline silicon
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