Characteristics of carbon nanotube neural interfaces

Edward W Keefer
edward.keefer@utsouthwestern.edu

Financial disclosures: Patent: PCT/US2008/072662-Coating neural electrodes with carbon nanotubes and variations Licensed technology covered by PCT/US2008/072662 to Plexon Inc for use in research products SBIR 1R43NS062469-01 with Plexon Inc
Use of the data in this presentation without the express written consent of the author is prohibited.

Published neuron/CNT interfaces

High temperatures for CNT growth or Non-specific CNT localization Limited immediate utility for in vivo devices

Mazzatenta et al.: Interfacing Neurons with

Carbon Nanotubes: Electrical Signal Transfer and Synaptic Stimulation in Cultured Brain Circuits

McKnight et al.: Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofiber Arrays: An Electrical and Genetic Substrate for Tissue Scaffolding NGUYEN-VU et al.: VACNF ARCHITECTURE AS A MULTIFUNCTIONAL 3-D NEURAL ELECTRICAL INTERFACE Use of the data in this presentation without the express written consent of the author is prohibited.

Interactions of neurons with CNTs arranged in 3 different, distinct structures 1) Dispersed mixtures electroplated onto metal electrodes 2) Neuronal networks growing on CNT sheets 3) CNT yarn electrode recordings from rat

3 ways of depositing dispersed CNT mixtures onto neural electrodes 1)Codepositing at cathode with gold or platinum 2)Codepositing at anode with conductive polymers 3)Covalent attachment to functionalized metal electrodes

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3 ways of depositing dispersed CNT mixtures onto neural electrodes

CNT/Au electroplated onto planar MEAs CNT/polypyrrole on SS CNT covalent attachment to microwire tungsten sharp electrodes Low voltage

High voltage

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SEM and electrochemical characterization of CNT/Au coated MEA electrodes

Keefer et al. (2008) Nat. Nano. 3:434-439

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Functional benefits of CNT coated MEA electrodes

increased efficacy of electrical stimulation to elicit neural responses

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Performance of CNT coatings in vivo

Stereotrode recording from rat HC

Unfiltered stereotrode recording 1-8000 Hz

1) increased SNR 2) decreased noise 3) less filtering

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Performance of CNT coatings in vivo

Paired electrode recording from macaque V1
filtered FP recording 1-300 Hz

Increased FP amplitudes Increased power with less 60 Hz noise contamination

Keefer et al. (2008) Nat. Nano. 3:434-439

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60 Hz notch filter

Simultaneous FP recording with Michigan probe tetrode configuration recording from rat

Initial electrode impedance 1.9-2.2 M

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Examples of other electrode types we have coated

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Uprobe CNT coating impedance spectroscopy results

24-channel ave. before CNT coating

SD 24-channel before CNT coating

24-channel ave. after CNT coating

SD 24-channel after CNT coating

103
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104

109

108

107

before CNT coating impedance: ~1M

106

105

104

103 100

after CNT coating impedance: ~10 10 k

1

~ 1kHz 102 103 104

Frequency Hz

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Tuning CNT coatings for improved performance at specific frequencies

Uprobe coating with 2 CNT protocols lowered impedance at 1 kHz by 50% lowered impedance at 1 Hz by 300%

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Hierarchal structures from CNTs

Carbon nanotube yarn drawn and twisted from a CNT forest

Carbon nanotube sheet drawn from a CNT forest

Ray Baughman UTD Nanotech Institute

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Neural networks growing on CNT-sheet covered electrode arrays

nanotube covered no nanotubes

Increased number of responses to stimulation through sheets

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