Engineering Electrodes with Robust Conducting Hydrogel Coating for Neural Recording and Modulation

Zhang, Jiajun1; Wang, Lulu2; Xue, Yu1; Lei, Iek Man1; Chen, Xingmei1; Zhang, Pei1; Cai, Chengcheng1; Liang, Xiangyu1; Lu, Yi2; Liu, Ji1,3,4

2022-12-01

10.1002/adma.202209324

ADVANCED MATERIALS   Impact Factor & Quartile

0935-9648

1521-4095

Coating conventional metallic electrodes with conducting polymers has enabled the essential characteristics required for bioelectronics, such as biocompatibility, electrical conductivity, mechanical compliance, and the capacity for structural and chemical functionalization of the bioelectrodes. However, the fragile interface between the conducting polymer and the electrode in wet physiological environment greatly limits their utility and reliability. Here, a general yet reliable strategy to seamlessly interface conventional electrodes with conducting hydrogel coatings is established, featuring tissue-like modulus, highly-desirable electrochemical properties, robust interface, and long-term reliability. Numerical modeling reveals the role of toughening mechanism, synergy of covalent anchorage of long-chain polymers, and chemical cross-linking, in improving the long-term robustness of the interface. Through in vivo implantation in freely-moving mouse models, it is shown that stable electrophysiological recording can be achieved, while the conducting hydrogel-electrode interface remains robust during the long-term low-voltage electrical stimulation. This simple yet versatile design strategy addresses the long-standing technical challenges in functional bioelectrode engineering, and opens up new avenues for the next-generation diagnostic brain-machine interfaces.

conducting polymer hydrogel electrical simulation interface neural recording robustness

SCI

English

NI Journal Papers

First ; Corresponding

National Science and Technology Innovation 2030-"Brain Science and Brain-Like Intelligence Technology" Major Project[2022ZD0209500] ; Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province["2022A1515010152","2020A1515110288","2020B1515020042"] ; Basic Research Program of Shenzhen["JCYJ20210324105211032","GJHZ20210705141809030"] ; MechERE Centers at MIT and SUSTech[Y01346002] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China["T2122021","32071035"] ; Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality[ZDSYS20200811143601004]

Chemistry ; Science & Technology - Other Topics ; Materials Science ; Physics

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary ; Chemistry, Physical ; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology ; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary ; Physics, Applied ; Physics, Condensed Matter

WOS:000899432100001

WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH

MATERIALS SCIENCE

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Mech & Energy Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
2.Chinese Acad Sci, Shenzhen Hong Kong Inst Brain Sci Shenzhen Fundame, Shenzhen Inst Adv Technol, CAS Key Lab Brain Connectome & Manipulat,Brain Cog, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
3.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Mech & Energy Engn, Shenzhen Key Lab Biomimet Robot & Intelligent Syst, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
4.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Guangdong Prov Key Lab Human Augmentat & Rehabil R, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China

Zhang, Jiajun,Wang, Lulu,Xue, Yu,et al. Engineering Electrodes with Robust Conducting Hydrogel Coating for Neural Recording and Modulation[J]. ADVANCED MATERIALS,2022.

Zhang, Jiajun.,Wang, Lulu.,Xue, Yu.,Lei, Iek Man.,Chen, Xingmei.,...&Liu, Ji.(2022).Engineering Electrodes with Robust Conducting Hydrogel Coating for Neural Recording and Modulation.ADVANCED MATERIALS.

Zhang, Jiajun,et al."Engineering Electrodes with Robust Conducting Hydrogel Coating for Neural Recording and Modulation".ADVANCED MATERIALS (2022).