Composition for manufacture of hydrogel material, hydrogel material, method of manufacture of hydrogel material, method of manufacture of hydrogel structure, and method of using device including hydrogel material

1 . A composition for the manufacture of a hydrogel material, consisting essentially of:

N-(3-Sulfopropyl)-N-methacroyloxyethyl-N,N-dimethylammonium betaine (DMAPS) serving as a backbone of the hydrogel material,

poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) serving as a conductive component,

at least one crosslinking agent,

a photo-initiator, and

a photo-initiator auxiliary element,

wherein:

the crosslinking agent is a compound provided with acryloyl groups as terminal groups, and wherein the crosslinking agent includes a covalent crosslinker of N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and a physical cross-linker of diacrylate functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(propylene glycol)-b-poly(ethylene glycol),

the photo-initiator and the photo-initiator auxiliary element facilitate crosslinking of the DMAPS and the PEDOT:PSS in the hydrogel material,

the photo-initiator auxiliary element is selected from the group consisting of lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP), 2-isopropylthioxanthone (ITX), 2-(4-methylbenzyl)-2-(dimethyamino)-1-(4-morpholinophenyl)butan-1-one, phenylbis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide, 2-methyl-4′-(methylthio)-2-morpholinopropiophenone and diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide (TPO), and

said composition is configured to undergo photo-crosslinking in the presence of light and said photo-initiator auxiliary system”.

2 . A composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the photo-initiator is or includes 2-hydroxy-4′-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone.

3 . A composition as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is ammonium persulfate.

4 . A hydrogel material comprising an interpenetrating structure of:

N-(3-Sulfopropyl)-N-methacroyloxyethyl-N,N-dimethylammonium betaine (DMAPS) serving as a backbone of the hydrogel material,

poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) serving as a conductive component, and

at least one crosslinking agent linking the DMAPS and the PEDOT:PSS together in the hydrogel material forming a network of polymerized PEDOT:PSS and PEDOT:PSS (DMA/PEDOTS),

wherein:

the crosslinking agent is or includes a compound provided with acryloyl groups as terminal groups, and wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and, diacrylate functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(propylene glycol)-b-poly(ethylene glycol),

a photo-initiator and a photo-initiator auxiliary element for assisting the photo-crosslinking of the DMAPS and the PEDOT:PSS by the crosslinking agent,

the photo-initiator auxiliary element is selected from the group consisting of lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP), 2-isopropylthioxanthone (ITX), 2-(4-methylbenzyl)-2-(dimethyamino)-1-(4-morpholinophenyl)butan-1-one, phenylbis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide, 2-methyl-4′-(methylthio)-2-morpholinopropiophenone and diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide (TPO).

5 . A hydrogel material as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the content of the DMAPS in the hydrogel material is 5-60 wt %, and the content of the PEDOT:PSS in the hydrogel material is 0.01-20 wt %.

6 . A hydrogel material as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the photo-initiator is or includes 2-hydroxy-4′-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone.

7 . A hydrogel material as claimed in claim 4 , comprising ammonium persulfate and/or N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine as a catalyst.

8 . A composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the composition is configured within a microneedle array including a plurality of independently addressable electrodes, each of which is capable of recording electrophysiological signals and releasing a pre-loaded therapeutic agent in response to electrical stimulation.