Aligned Conducting Polymer Nanotubes for Neural Prostheses

Femtosecond Laser 3D-printing of Conductive Microelectronics for Potential Biomedical Applications

Development of soft and conductive micro devices represents a demanding research topic in various biomedical applications, particularly organic bioelectronics. Among various fabrication methods, two-photon polymerization (2PP) using a wide range of photocurable inks is a promising 3D printing technique for construction of structures in submicron resolution. Herein, we introduce a novel conductive photosensitive resin by using poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate), and fabricate 3D conductive polymeric microstructures via 2PP. In the developed resin, presence of PEDOT:PSS significantly enhances the electrical conductivity of microstructures (~ 10 orders of magnitude).Clinical Relevance- Conductive microdevices based on the PEDOT:PSS-doped resin open new avenues in a broad range of biomedical research areas including neural interfaces, biosensors, and bioelectronics.

Nanostructured PEDOT Coatings for Electrode-Neuron Integration

Neural electrodes have been developed for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke, sensory deficits, and neurological disorders based on the electrical stimulation of nerve tissue and recording of neural electrical activity. A low interface impedance and large active surface area for charge transfer and intimate contact between neurons and the electrode are critical to obtain high-quality neural signal and effective stimulation without causing damage to both tissue and electrode. In this study, a nanostructured poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) coating with lots of long protrusions was created via a one-step electrochemical polymerization from a dichloromethane solution without any rigid or soft templates. The nanostructures on the PEDOT coating were basically formed by intertwined PEDOT nanofibers, which further enhanced the active surface area. The fuzzy PEDOT-modified microelectrodes exhibited an impedance as low as 1 kΩ at 1 kHz, which is much lower than those produced from aqueous 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) solution, and it was comparable with PEDOT films or composites created from/with template materials. Also, more than 150 times larger charge storage capacity density was obtained compared to the unmodified microelectrode. An in vitro biocompatibility test performed on PC12 cells and primary cells suggested that the PEDOT coatings support cell adhesion, growth, and neurite extension. These results suggest the great potential of the nanostructured PEDOT coating as an electroactive and biosafe intimate contact between the implanted neural electrode and neurons.