Multiscale Engineered Hydrogels for Adaptive Bioelectronic Interfaces

Abstract

Bioelectronic technology propels medicine toward active perception and closed-loop therapeutic interventions. However, the fundamental mismatches in mechanics, electricity, and environment between rigid devices and soft tissues limit long-term interfacial stability and signal transduction efficiency. While hydrogels offer an ideal interface bridge owing to their biomimetic properties and excellent ion conductivity, traditional single-performance improvements often create functional contradictions, such as the trade-off between conductivity and flexibility, or adhesion and antifouling capability. The precise regulation of hydrogels through multiscale structural engineering transcends these constraints, shifting the leap of bioelectronic interfaces from passive bonding to active self-adaptation. Based on an in-depth analysis of interfacial charge transfer and wet-state adaptation mechanisms, we systematically review the multiscale design strategies for adaptive hydrogels across molecular networks, micro/nanocomposites, and macroscopic heterogeneous architectures. Finally, we evaluate their clinical transformation potential in high-fidelity electrophysiological monitoring and closed-loop therapies, outlining the future of next-generation adaptive bioelectronics.