Neural Cells on Iridium Oxide

Iridium oxide was investigated as a material for the stimulating neural electrode. Iridium oxide was formed by potential sweep of iridium film that was deposited on either Si wafer or silicone rubber with electron-beam evaporation. The rate of iridium oxide formation was dependent on the upper and lower limits of potential sweep. The higher thickness of iridium oxide produced the higher charge injection due to the reversible valence transition of iridium within oxide. Embryonic cortical neural cells formed neurofilament after 4-day culture on iridium oxide, which indicated neural cells could adhere and survive on iridium oxide.