Engineering cytocompatible conducting polymers for bio-related energy applications

Portable, wearable and implantable medical devices (IMDs) can be used to solve various clinical problems such as monitoring of chronic diseases or artificial organ transplantation. Current available IMDs are generally powered by an energy source with a strong case for absolute encapsulation. It would be ideal to minimise the size and volume of the power source for users’ comfort by removing the strong case if the employed materials and by-products are safe for the body. In this thesis, two types of cytocompatible conducting polymers have been fabricated via facial chemical synthesis methods for use in bio-related energy sources that are capable of providing energy with the use of simulated body fluids. They are polypyrrole/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PPy/PEDOT) hydrogel and asymmetric polypyrrole (PPy) membrane. The demonstrated bio-related energy systems include a bioelectric battery and an energy harvesting system.