Gwak Hyunjong, Cho Sungbo, Song Yoon-Jae, Park Jung-Hwan, Seo Soonmin
Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 13120, Republic of Korea.
Department of Electronic Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 13120, Republic of Korea.
Sci Rep. 2023 Dec 21;13(1):22931. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-50472-y.
This study describes the fabrication and characteristics of microneedle array electrodes (MAEs) using Bismuth-Indium-Tin (Bi-In-Sn) alloys. The MAEs consist of 57 pyramid-shaped needles measuring 340 μm wide and 800 μm high. The fabrication process involved micromolding the alloys in a vacuum environment. Physical tests demonstrated that Bi-In-Sn MAEs have good mechanical strength, indicating their suitability for successful skin penetration. The electrode-skin interface impedance test confirmed that Bi-In-Sn MAEs successfully penetrated the skin. Impedance measurements revealed the importance of insulating the microneedle electrodes for optimal electrical performance, and a UV-curable Polyurethane Acrylate coating was applied to enhance insulation. Electrocardiogram measurements using the Bi-In-Sn MAEs demonstrated performance comparable to that of traditional Ag/AgCl electrodes, which shows promise for accurate data collection. Overall, the study demonstrates successful, minimally-invasive skin insertion, improved electrical insulation, and potential applications of Bi-In-Sn microneedle array. These findings contribute to advancements in microneedle technology for biomedical applications.
本研究描述了使用铋 - 铟 - 锡（Bi - In - Sn）合金制造微针阵列电极（MAE）及其特性。该微针阵列电极由57根金字塔形针组成，针宽340μm，高800μm。制造过程包括在真空环境中对合金进行微成型。物理测试表明，Bi - In - Sn微针阵列电极具有良好的机械强度，表明它们适合成功穿透皮肤。电极 - 皮肤界面阻抗测试证实Bi - In - Sn微针阵列电极成功穿透了皮肤。阻抗测量揭示了对微针电极进行绝缘以实现最佳电性能的重要性，并应用了紫外线固化聚氨酯丙烯酸酯涂层来增强绝缘。使用Bi - In - Sn微针阵列电极进行的心电图测量显示其性能与传统Ag/AgCl电极相当，这表明在准确数据采集方面具有前景。总体而言，该研究展示了Bi - In - Sn微针阵列成功实现微创皮肤插入、改善电绝缘以及潜在应用。这些发现有助于推动用于生物医学应用的微针技术的进步。
