Embedded process for flexible conductive electrodes for applications in tissue electrical impedance scanning (EIS)

Abstract

We present the fabrication and testing of micro-patternable flexible conductive nanoparticle composite polymer (C-NCP) electrode arrays for electrical impedance scanning (EIS). We attempt to minimize EIS issues of mechanical skin contact and resolution through the use of highly compliant micropatternable elastomeric C-NCPs. We anticipate an increase in spatial resolution as the electrodes can be patterned into high density arrays using a new multi-level process presented here for the first time. We characterize the conductivity of the electrodes (average resistivity of 2.98×10−4 ohm-m +/− 8.3% at 60 wt-% of silver nanoparticles), compare the baseline impedance map with a new circuit phantom, and demonstrate anomaly detection in a gelatin tissue phantom using highly flexible Ag/AgCl C-NCP electrodes.