Organic electronics for neuroprosthetics

• Main Authors: Marta J.I. Airaghi Leccardi, Diego Ghezzi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2020-05-01
• Series: Healthcare Technology Letters
• Subjects: reviews; prosthetics; electrochemical electrodes; conducting polymers; biodegradable materials; biomedical materials; biological tissues; neurophysiology; electrolytes; biomedical electrodes; ionic conductivity; material properties; electrochemical behaviour; biocompatibility; polymeric substrates; organic-based electrodes; accessible control; molecular structure; blending; inorganic materials; organic materials; mechanical compliance; soft tissue; ionic conductivities; electronic conductivities; all-polymer neural interfaces; transparency; green electronics; material strategy; safe electronic interfaces; neuroprosthetics; organic electronics; neurological functions; mental functions; technological advances; implantable devices; wearable devices; biology; electrochemical transport mechanism; biodegradability; review; conjugated polymers; electrolytic solutions
• Online Access: https://digital-library.theiet.org/content/journals/10.1049/htl.2019.0108

Neuroprosthetics aims at restoring impaired or lost neurological and mental functions by exploiting technological advances in implantable and wearable devices. The performance of implantable devices, such as neural interfaces, relies upon the synergy between biology and machines. Should this synergy lack, numerous undesirable consequences might occur, such as rejection, infection, or malfunctioning. Several material properties like softness, electrochemical behaviour, biocompatibility, and biodegradability are among the features affecting the reliability of neural interfaces. In this review, the authors describe modern polymeric substrates and organic-based electrodes, offering the best combination of such characteristics. Their versatility in merging different properties derives from the accessible control over their molecular structure and blending. Compared to inorganic materials, organic materials have superior mechanical compliance with the soft tissue, and conjugated polymers also have an advantageous electrochemical transport mechanism at the interface with electrolytic solutions, involving both ionic and electronic conductivities. Hence, all-polymer neural interfaces would be convenient for a multitude of benefits, including low-cost manufacturing, increased biocompatibility, lightweight, transparency, and affinity with green electronics. This review also highlights materials strategies supporting the development of safe electronic interfaces based on organic materials and beneficial for various applications neuroprosthetics.