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Fabrication of High Contact-Density, Flat-Interface Nerve Electrodes for Recording and Stimulation Applications
Published on: October 4, 2016
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Durable scalable 3D SLA-printed cuff electrodes with high performance carbon + PEDOT:PSS-based contacts
Onna Marie Doering1, Christian Vetter1, Awadh Alhawwash2,3
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Artificial Organs
|August 16, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a novel 3D-printed cuff electrode with intrinsically conductive polymers (ICPs) for enhanced neural stimulation and recording. The new design significantly improves charge storage capacity and reduces impedance, enabling precise peripheral nerve modulation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Neural interface performance depends on physical and electrical characteristics, necessitating rapid optimization.
- Existing methods require improvement for efficient stimulation and recording of peripheral nerve fibers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an upgraded 3D printed cuff electrode shell design.
- To incorporate a novel intrinsically conductive polymer (ICP) for enhanced neural stimulation and recording.
- To enable rapid development of cost-effective functional stimulation devices for small nerve bundles.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 3D stereolithography (SLA) printing for custom cuff electrode fabrication.
- Developed a novel electrochemical interface using a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and carbon black matrix.
- Conducted in-vitro and in-vivo (rat sciatic nerve) testing for performance evaluation.
Main Results:
- Successfully printed cuff electrodes with inner diameters down to 500 μm.
- ICP coating increased charge storage capacity by a factor of 30 and decreased interfacial impedance by 99.99% (to ~1 kΩ at 1 Hz).
- Demonstrated in-vivo recording and stimulation capabilities on rat sciatic nerves.
Conclusions:
- The novel 3D printed cuff electrode with ICP offers a cost-effective solution for peripheral nerve stimulation and recording.
- The design facilitates targeting nerve bundles smaller than 1.0 mm in diameter.
- Enables precise modulation of low-frequency currents within the peripheral nervous system.
