Abstract
Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) electrodes have recently attracted attention as materials for neural electrodes due to their superior physical and electrochemical properties, however their biocompatibility remains largely unexplored. In this work, we aim to investigate the in vivo biocompatibility of BDD electrodes in relation to conventional titanium nitride (TiN) electrodes using a rat subcutaneous implantation model. High quality BDD films were synthesized on electrodes intended for use as an implantable neurostimulation device. After implantation for 2 and 4 weeks, tissue sections adjacent to the electrodes were obtained for histological analysis. Both types of implants were contained in a thin fibrous encapsulation layer, the thickness of which decreased with time. Although the level of neovascularization around the implants was similar, BDD electrodes elicited significantly thinner fibrous capsules and a milder inflammatory reaction at both time points. These results suggest that BDD films may constitute an appropriate material to support stable performance of implantable neural electrodes over time.
Highlights
In recent years boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) has become an established electrode material for electrochemical applications due to its many outstanding properties, which include high corrosion resistance, a wide potential window of water stability, and low background currents (Park et al, 2005; Luong et al, 2009; Roeser et al, 2013)
We aim to investigate the in vivo biocompatibility of BDD electrodes in relation to conventional titanium nitride (TiN) electrodes using a rat subcutaneous implantation model
Our aim is to investigate the performance of BDD neural electrodes, which belong to a system designed for the treatment of urinary incontinence through a minimally invasive implantation procedure (Martens et al, 2010)
Summary
In recent years boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) has become an established electrode material for electrochemical applications due to its many outstanding properties, which include high corrosion resistance, a wide potential window of water stability, and low background currents (Park et al, 2005; Luong et al, 2009; Roeser et al, 2013). Diverse nanomaterials have emerged as means to increase the electrochemically active surface area of neural electrodes, allowing the fabrication of microelectrodes with superior electrochemical performance as compared to the unmodified counterparts (Boehler et al, 2015; Kim et al, 2015). This new generation of microelectrodes, in perspective, may allow the development of novel neural prostheses possessing high sensitivity and spatial resolution. These recent advances have contributed to the increased interest in BDD electrodes for electrical interfacing with neural cells, such as implantable neural prostheses and brain-computer interfaces
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