A Wearable Optical Microfibrous Biomaterial with Encapsulated Nanosensors Enables Wireless Monitoring of Oxidative Stress

In an effort to facilitate personalized medical approaches, the continuous and noninvasive monitoring of biochemical information using wearable technologies can enable a detailed understanding of an individuals physiology. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a class of oxygen-containing free radicals which function in a wide range of biological processes. In wound healing applications, the continuous monitoring of ROS through a wearable diagnostics platform is essential for the prevention of chronicity and pathogenic infection. Here, a versatile one-step procedure is utilized to fabricate optical core-shell microfibrous textiles incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for the real-time optical monitoring of hydrogen peroxide concentrations in wounds. The environmentally sensitive and non-photobleachable fluorescence of SWCNTs enables continuous analyte monitoring without a decay in signal over time. The existence of multiple chiralities of SWCNTs emitting near-infrared fluorescence with narrow bandwidths allows a ratiometric signal readout invariant to the excitation source distance and exposure time. The individual fibers encapsulate the SWCNT nanosensors for at least 21 days without apparent loss in structural integrity. Moreover, the microfibrous textiles can be utilized to spatially resolve peroxide concentrations on a wound surface using a camera and can be integrated into commercial wound bandages without being altered or losing their optical properties.