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Language: English

Conflict of Interest: In relation to this article, we declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Publication history: Received February 5, 2025
Accepted February 24, 2025
Available online May 25, 2025

This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Microfabricated Conductive PEDOT:PSS Hydrogels for Soft Electronics

Ming Yang Cunjiang Yu^†

Materials Research Laboratory , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , IL 61801 , USA ¹Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Nick Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory , Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , IL 61801 , USA

cunjiang@illinois.edu

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, May 2025, 42(5), 935-952(18)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-025-00434-z

Abstract

Soft electronics integrate biology, materials science, and electronic engineering to create devices that could seamlessly

interface with biological systems. Among soft electronic materials, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate

(PEDOT:PSS) hydrogels are distinguished by their combined ionic–electronic conductivity, tissue-like mechanics, and

biocompatibility. Despite these advantages, PEDOT:PSS hydrogels still face challenges, including high water content,

mechanical weakness, and limited adhesion to conventional electronic materials. These challenges are further intensifi ed

by the incompatibility of PEDOT:PSS with high-temperature processing and chemically demanding fabrication techniques.

Consequently, research has increasingly focused on developing PEDOT:PSS hydrogels with advanced fabrication methods

that enable scalable production, complex structure, and high resolution to meet the requirements of soft electronics. This

review explores the integration of PEDOT:PSS hydrogels with soft electronics from hydrogel-to-device and device-tohydrogel

perspectives. It explores strategies to enhance the performance of PEDOT:PSS hydrogels and address fabrication

challenges. Both top-down (e.g., scalable fabrication and high precision) and bottom-up (e.g., tunable conductivity and

multifunctionality) approaches are examined, emphasizing advances that improve hydrogel integration with manufacturing

technologies. By analyzing these design principles, this review contributes to hydrogel-based microfabrication and soft

electronics, driving developments in bioelectronics, soft sensors, and soft robotics.

Keywords

PEDOT:PSS · Hydrogel · Soft electronics · Patterning · Fabrication