Electro-assisted assembly of conductive polymer and soft hydrogel into core-shell hybrids

Soft hydrogels have become an important class of materials for mimicking and interfacing biological soft tissues with potential applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering bioelectronics. Creative methods integrating other such as organic conductors are highly desired. Here, we describe the single-step electrosynthesis PEDOT/alginate into core-shell hybrid structures via electrochemical-chemical-chemical mechanism. Using a pulsed electropolymerisation protocol, generated PEDOT either oxidized or reduced form. By-products this electrochemical step trigger chemical reactions concomitant assembly alginate hydrogels. Characterization evidences that (core) (shell) compartments form electrochemically integrated interface. During growth, both can be loaded useful cargo. We negatively charged small molecule investigated passive electroactive release mechanisms from two compartments. Our electro-assisted assembly/crosslinking hybrids contributes promising approach to design functional interfaces controlled electronics.