High-Performance Magnetically Actuated Mxene-Based Microelectrodes for Neural Interfacing (2024)
Undergraduate: Brayden Davis
Faculty Advisor: Wubin Bai
Department: Applied Physical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering
Neural interfaces play an indispensable role in bridging the divide between the human nervous system and external devices, offering the potential to treat neurological disorders and elucidate brain function. Despite their promise, the development of efficient and reliable nerve-electrode interfaces remains a challenge, primarily due to the complexities of epineural adhesion and tissue conformity capabilities of the electrode materials. This study addresses this challenge by proposing a novel approach: integrating a high-performance Mxene(Ti3C2Tx)/PEDOT:PSS (MxP) composite into a magnetically actuated elastomer to create adaptable neural interfaces. This integration leverages the unique electrical properties of mxene and the mechanical flexibility of soft robotics, aiming to enhance electrode-tissue conformity and signal fidelity in dynamic neural environments. Our methodology includes innovative material processing techniques that significantly enhance our devices performance while preserving its durability, as demonstrated through comprehensive bending fatigue tests, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and spinal cord phantom tissue benchtop tests.