Development and Applications of Polypyrrole-Based Conductive Inks: An Overview

Due to their flexibility, high conductivity, stability, monodispersity, and ease of processing; polypyrrole-based conductive inks hold significant advancements in printing, biomedical and electronic applications. These inks enable innovative solutions in flexible electronics, wearable devices, sensors, and energy storage systems and also facilitate high-quality printed films on various rigid and flexible substrates, supporting diverse applications from flexible circuits to smart textiles. Notably, in biomedicine, they exhibit excellent biocompatibility, and cell adhesion, aiding in tissue engineering and stem cell therapies. They serve as bioinks for 3D printing free-standing scaffolds, showing potential for creating electrically active tissue constructs. Additionally, polypyrrole inks are crucial for developing highly specific and sensitive sensors for detecting gases, chemicals, and biological analytes and efficient energy storage devices like supercapacitors. As research progresses, these inks are pivotal in the future of lightweight, flexible, portable, and wearable electronic materials and devices. This review covers a general overview of various types of polypyrrole-based conductive inks, highlighting their major applications and impacts.