Ultraflexible organic amplifier with biocompatible gel electrodes

Nat Commun. 2016 Apr 29:7:11425. doi: 10.1038/ncomms11425.

Abstract

In vivo electronic monitoring systems are promising technology to obtain biosignals with high spatiotemporal resolution and sensitivity. Here we demonstrate the fabrication of a biocompatible highly conductive gel composite comprising multi-walled carbon nanotube-dispersed sheet with an aqueous hydrogel. This gel composite exhibits admittance of 100 mS cm(-2) and maintains high admittance even in a low-frequency range. On implantation into a living hypodermal tissue for 4 weeks, it showed a small foreign-body reaction compared with widely used metal electrodes. Capitalizing on the multi-functional gel composite, we fabricated an ultrathin and mechanically flexible organic active matrix amplifier on a 1.2-μm-thick polyethylene-naphthalate film to amplify (amplification factor: ∼200) weak biosignals. The composite was integrated to the amplifier to realize a direct lead epicardial electrocardiography that is easily spread over an uneven heart tissue.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dermis / drug effects
  • Dermis / physiology
  • Electrocardiography / instrumentation*
  • Electrodes
  • Electronics / instrumentation*
  • Electronics / methods
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Foreign-Body Reaction / prevention & control
  • Goats
  • Hydrogels / chemistry*
  • Hydrogels / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Naphthalenes / chemistry
  • Pericardium / drug effects
  • Pericardium / physiology
  • Pliability
  • Polyethylenes / chemistry
  • Rabbits
  • Rats

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Hydrogels
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Naphthalenes
  • Polyethylenes