Flexible implanted electronics are a step closer to clinical applications thanks to a new innovative technology developed by a research team at Griffith University and UNSW Sydney.
The work was initiated by Dr. Tuan-Khoa Nguyen, Professor Nam-Trung Nguyen and Dr. Hoang-Phuong Phan (currently Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales) at the Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Center (QMNC) at Griffith University via internal use. silicon carbide technology as a new platform for long-term biotissue electronic interfaces.
The project was hosted by the QMNC, which hosts part of the Queensland node of the Australian National Nanofabrication Facility (ANFF-Q).
ANFF-Q is a company established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy to provide nano and microfabrication facilities to researchers in Australia.
The QMNC offers unique capabilities for the development and characterization of broadband material, a class of semiconductors that have electronic properties that lie between non-conducting materials such as glass and semiconductor materials such as the silicon used for computer chips.
These properties allow devices made from these materials to operate in extreme conditions such as high voltage, high temperature and corrosive environments.
The QMNC and ANFF-Q provided this project with silicon carbide materials, scalable manufacturing capability and advanced characterization facilities for robust micro/nanobioelectronic devices.
Implantable, flexible devices have enormous potential to treat chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and spinal cord injuries.
These devices allow the direct diagnosis of disorders in the internal organs and provide appropriate therapies and treatments.
For example, these devices can deliver electrical stimulation to targeted nerves to regulate abnormal impulses and restore bodily functions.”
Dr Tuan-Khoa Nguyen, Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Center (QMNC) at Griffith University
Due to the requirement for direct contact with biofluids, maintaining their long-term performance when implanted is a daunting challenge.
The research team developed a robust and functional material system that could break this bottleneck.
“The system consists of silicon carbide nanomembranes as the contact surface and silicon dioxide as the protective encapsulation, showing unmatched stability and maintaining its functionality in biofluids,” said Professor Nam-Trung Nguyen.
“For the first time, our team has successfully developed a robust implantable electronic system with an expected lifetime of a few decades.”
The researchers demonstrated multiple modalities of impedance and temperature sensors and neural stimulators together with effective stimulation of peripheral nerves in animal models.
Corresponding author Dr. Phan said implanted devices, such as heart rhythm markers and deep brain stimulators, had powerful capabilities for the timely treatment of various chronic diseases.
“Traditional implants are bulky and have a different mechanical stiffness than human tissue that poses potential risks to patients. The development of mechanically soft but chemically strong electronic devices is the key solution to this long-standing problem,” said the Dr. Phan.
The concept of flexible silicon carbide electronics offers promising avenues for neuroscience and neural stimulation therapies, which could provide life-saving treatments for chronic neurological diseases and spur patient recovery.
“To make this platform a reality, we are fortunate to have a strong multidisciplinary research team from Griffith University, UNSW, University of Queensland, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) – ERATO, each contributing their experience in materials science, mechanical/electrical engineering, and biomedical engineering,” said Dr. Phan.
Source:
Journal reference:
Nguyen, TK., et al. (2022) Broadband semiconductor nanomembranes as a long-term biointerface for a flexible, implantable neuromodulator. PNAS. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2203287119.