In vitro electrochemical characterization of polydopamine melanin as a tissue stimulating electrode material

J Mater Chem B. 2016;4(18):3031-3036. doi: 10.1039/C5TB02618K. Epub 2016 Feb 23.

Abstract

The properties of redox active polydopamine melanin (PDM) films as a coating material for neural electrodes were evaluated. PDM films with nanometer-scale thicknesses exhibit dc bias dependent charge injection capacities (CIC) with maximum values of 110 ± 23 µC cm-2 at 0.2V (vs Ag/AgCl) and reduce the interfacial impedance compared to inorganic conducting films. PDM films exhibited an asymmetric impedance response to positive and negative dc biases with minimum interfacial impedance at 0.2V (vs Ag/AgCl). An explanation for the observed bias-dependent electrochemical behavior is presented.