Harvard Program in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
Harvard-MIT Division in Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
Adv Mater. 2022 May;34(20):e2107207. doi: 10.1002/adma.202107207. Epub 2022 Mar 28.
Surface electrode arrays are mainly fabricated from rigid or elastic materials, and precisely manipulated ductile metal films, which offer limited stretchability. However, the living tissues to which they are applied are nonlinear viscoelastic materials, which can undergo significant mechanical deformation in dynamic biological environments. Further, the same arrays and compositions are often repurposed for vastly different tissues rather than optimizing the materials and mechanical properties of the implant for the target application. By first characterizing the desired biological environment, and then designing a technology for a particular organ, surface electrode arrays may be more conformable, and offer better interfaces to tissues while causing less damage. Here, the various materials used in each component of a surface electrode array are first reviewed, and then electrically active implants in three specific biological systems, the nervous system, the muscular system, and skin, are described. Finally, the fabrication of next-generation surface arrays that overcome current limitations is discussed.
表面电极阵列主要由刚性或弹性材料以及精确操纵的延展性金属薄膜制成，这些材料的拉伸性有限。然而，它们所应用的活体组织是具有非线性黏弹性的材料，在动态的生物环境中可以发生显著的机械变形。此外，相同的阵列和组成通常被重新用于非常不同的组织，而不是针对目标应用优化植入物的材料和机械性能。通过首先对所需的生物环境进行特征描述，然后为特定的器官设计一种技术，表面电极阵列可能会更加贴合，并与组织提供更好的界面，同时造成更小的损伤。在这里，首先回顾了表面电极阵列的每个组件中使用的各种材料，然后描述了三个特定的生物系统（神经系统、肌肉系统和皮肤）中的电活性植入物。最后，讨论了制造克服当前限制的下一代表面阵列。
