Optimization of two Surface Treaments (Plasma and Pluronic) for an Array of Gold Microelectrodes for Measuring Streaming Potentials on Articular Cartilage

Biomentum Inc.专门为组织、生物材料和软骨的生物力学评估提供解决方案。该公司开发并商业化了ARTHRO-BSTTM，这是一种关节镜探头，用于精确、非破坏性地评估关节软骨。ARTHRO-BSTTM测量关节镜检查过程中压缩关节软骨时产生的流动电位，并评估其选择力学性能。为了确保通过单独的微电极(37个微电极，每个微电极的几何表面：20微米x 80微米)进行可靠的局部流动电位测量，使用了复杂的电流-电压传感器。当通过手术将该装置引入膝盖时，微小的气泡会在微电极表面形成，这会造成电波动，导致探头在进行有用的测量之前出现显著的延迟。改善微电极阵列的亲水性(润湿性)将大大减少气泡的形成，这反过来又将显著减少关节镜检查期间的电平衡时间。在本项目中，两种不同的表面处理方法将更好地应用于微电极阵列，这两种方法都旨在提高润湿性：(I)Pluronic®刷涂；(Ii)常压等离子体-有机薄膜聚合，称为等离子体聚合物。

Biomomentum Inc. specializes in providing solutions for the biomechanical evaluation of tissues, biomaterialsand cartilage. The company develops and commercializes the Arthro-BSTTM, an arthroscopic probe used forprecise, non-destructive assessment of articular cartilage. Arthro-BSTTM measures streaming potentialsgenerated during compression of articular cartilage during an arthroscopic procedure and assesses itselectro-mechanical properties. To ensure reliable local streaming potential measurement by an individualmicroelectrode (37 microelectrodes, each with a geometric surface: 20µm x 80µm), a sophisticatedcurrent-voltage transducer is used. When the device is surgically introduced into the knee, small air bubblestend to form on the microelectrodes' surfaces, which create electrical fluctuations that cause a significant delaybefore the probe can perform useful measurements. Improving hydrophilicity (wettability) of themicroelectrode array should greatly reduce air bubble formation, which in turn should significantly reduceelectrical equilibration time during arthroscopy. In this project, two separate surface treatment methods will betested on the microelectrode array, both designed to increase wettablity: (i) Pluronic® brush-coating; (ii)Atmospheric pressure plasma-polymerization of organic films, known as plasma polymers.