At ETH Zurich in Switzerland, researchers have developed tiny new biodegradable sensors that can measure the temperature of things they’re embedded in. The technology is primarily designed to help monitor food safety, but will certainly also be useful for keeping track of temperature sensitive medications and medical devices.
The core goal of the research project was to avoid using toxic precious metals that are typically used in such devices. The researchers instead used very thin, wound threads of a mix of magnesium, silicon dioxide, and nitride for electrical conductivity, all encapsulated within a polymer that is made of potato and corn starch. The polymer is essentially a food item, while the magnesium you should be getting as part of a balanced diet. The silicon dioxide and nitride are biocompatible and will dissolve in water.
The new sensors are thinner than a human hair and are only a few millimeters in length. They’re flexible and can remain attached to or embedded inside things for weeks at a time. The prototypes so far developed dissolve completely in about 67 days while inside a one percent saline solution. These parameters can be adjusted by changing the thickness of the polymer.
Currently, the sensors are controlled and powered by a small external chip, connected to it using biodegradable zinc-based wires. The chip has a Bluetooth transmitter, the signal from which a smartphone or other device can receive the readings from to actually check the temperature and the history of the item.
Study in Advanced Functional Materials: Biodegradable and Highly Deformable Temperature Sensors for the Internet of Things…
Via: ETH…