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February 11, 2026Advanced Materials0 citationsOpen Access

Stiff to Soft: A Protein‐Based Buffer Layer for Improving the Long‐Term Performance of Microneedle Sensors

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LGLihao GuoGSGuoyue ShiSXShuxiang Xu

Key Points

  • The study aims to develop a coating that balances the stiffness needed for microneedle insertion with biocompatibility for long-term use.
  • Developed a crosslinking–recombination bovine serum albumin (CR-BSA) coating.
  • Evaluated the performance of CR-BSA for Na+ sensing.
  • Measured sensitivity and stability over 14 days.
  • Compared CR-BSA coating's effectiveness to commercial Nafion coatings.
  • Achieved a high sensitivity of 70.6 µA/decade for sodium ions.
  • Demonstrated significant reduction in inflammation and fibrosis compared to Nafion.
  • Provided reliable monitoring of hypernatremia and hyponatremia for over five days.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Long‐term monitoring of electrolyte dynamics is essential for managing chronic diseases. Conventional diagnostic tests are steadily evolving toward greater convenience, personalization, and accuracy, while wearable microneedle sensors offer a compelling alternative. However, their long‐term biocompatibility is hampered by the mechanical stiffness required to penetrate the skin. Here we report a crosslinking–recombination bovine serum albumin (CR‐BSA) coating that undergoes a unique stiff‐to‐soft transition, reconciling insertion capability with tissue compatibility. For Na + sensing, CR‐BSA serves as a functional buffer layer, delivering high sensitivity (70.6 µA/decade) and stability for more than 14 days, while significantly reducing inflammation and fibrosis compared with commercial Nafion coatings. CR‐BSA–coated microneedle sensors achieve reliable continuous monitoring of both acute and chronic hyponatremia and hypernatremia for over five days. This stiff‐to‐soft coating strategy overcomes a central barrier to microneedle sensor integration, advancing the prospects of long‐term, minimally invasive electrolyte monitoring for chronic disease management.

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Cite This Study

Guo et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/698c1c65267fb587c655ed6chttps://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202520745
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