A carbon nanofiber (CNF) based 3-D microelectrode array for in-vitro neural proliferation and signal recording

Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are commonly utilized for stimulating and recording extracellular electrical signals including both local field and action potentials in both in-vitro and in-vivo neural studies. This work demonstrates the feasibility of 3D microelectrode arrays using a novel carbon nanomaterial, electrospun carbon nanofiber (CNF). CNF MEAs impedance is characterized and compared to that of carbon nanotube MEAs and commercial TiN MEAs. An in-vitro culture of CNF electrodes are performed using E18 cortical neurons and analyzed for cell interaction. With these electrodes we are able to detect extracellular neural signals including action potentials from single neurons from an array of CNF electrodes embedded within the substrate of an MEA.