A research team led by Professor Suk Ho Bhang of the School of Chemical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University and Professor Jin Young Oh of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kyung Hee University has developed a core technology for next-generation implantable bioelectronic devices. The team succeeded in realizing a highly stretchable and biocompatible organic transistor that mimics the mechanical softness of biological tissue while maintaining stable function during long-term implantation. This breakthrough offers new possibilities for advancing the performance of clinical implantable devices such as pacemakers, neurostimulators, and insulin pumps.

The research addressed the long-standing challenge of tissue damage and inflammation caused by the rigidity of conventional silicon-based semiconductors. By blending semiconducting nanofibers (DPPT-TT) with a medical-grade elastomer (BIIR) and applying a vulcanization process, the team fabricated a semiconducting film that combines skin-like elasticity with stable electrical performance. In addition, the incorporation of dual-layer silver and gold metallization enabled robust operation without corrosion in biofluid environments.

The fabricated transistors maintained stable performance even under strains exceeding 50 percent and were successfully applied to drive basic logic circuits such as inverters, NOR gates, and NAND gates. In vitro tests with human dermal fibroblasts and macrophages revealed no signs of toxicity or inflammatory response, while in vivo subcutaneous implantation in BALB/c mice confirmed long-term biocompatibility. Notably, the study demonstrated reduced fibrous capsule formation, a major cause of decreased functionality in implantable devices.

The team emphasized that this achievement could serve as a fundamental platform for next-generation implantable electronics, with strong potential applications in real-time physiological signal monitoring, neural interfacing, and personalized therapeutic systems.

This work was supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) through the Materials and Components Technology Development Program, as well as by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) through the Excellent Young Researcher Program, the University-Centered Research Institute Program, and the Engineering Research Center (ERC) Program. The findings were published in the international journal Nature Electronics and were subsequently highlighted in a Nature Electronics Research Briefing (IF: 40.9, JCR < 0.1%) on September 2.

Paper Title: A biocompatible elastomeric organic transistor for implantable electronics

First authors: Kyu Ho Jung, Dr. Jiyu Hyun, Corresponding authors: Prof. Suk Ho Bhang, Prof. Jin Young Oh
Journal: Nature Electronics
DOI: 10.1038/s41928-025-01444-9