Distinctive glial and neuronal interfacing on nanocrystalline diamond.

Direct electrode/neuron interfacing is a key challenge to achieve high resolution of neuronal stimulation required for visual prostheses. Neuronal interfacing on biomaterials commonly requires the presence of glial cells and/or protein coating. Nanocrystalline diamond is a highly mechanically stable biomaterial with a remarkably large potential window for the electrical stimulation of tissues.

Patterned neuronal networks using nanodiamonds and the effect of varying nanodiamond properties on neuronal adhesion and outgrowth.

Objective: Detonation nanodiamond monolayer coatings are exceptionally biocompatible substrates for in vitro cell culture. However, the ability of nanodiamond coatings of different origin, size, surface chemistry and morphology to promote neuronal adhesion, and the ability to pattern neurons with nanodiamonds have yet to be investigated.

Approach: Various nanodiamond coatings of different type are investigated for their ability to promote neuronal adhesion with respect to surface coating parameters and neurite extension.

Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond microelectrode arrays monitor cardiac action potentials.

The expansion of diamond-based electronics in the area of biological interfacing has not been as thoroughly explored as applications in electrochemical sensing. However, the biocompatibility of diamond, large safe electrochemical window, stability, and tunable electronic properties provide opportunities to develop new devices for interfacing with electrogenic cells. Here, the fabrication of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) with boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BNCD) electrodes and their interfacing with cardiomyocyte-like HL-1 cells to detect cardiac action potentials are presented.

Multichannel boron doped nanocrystalline diamond ultramicroelectrode arrays: design, fabrication and characterization.

We report on the fabrication and characterization of an 8 × 8 multichannel Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) ultramicro-electrode array (UMEA). The device combines both the assets of microelectrodes, resulting from conditions in mass transport from the bulk solution toward the electrode, and of BDD's remarkable intrinsic electrochemical properties. The UMEAs were fabricated using an original approach relying on the selective growth of diamond over pre-processed 4 inches silicon substrates.

High sensitivity of diamond resonant microcantilevers for direct detection in liquids as probed by molecular electrostatic surface interactions.

Resonant microcantilevers have demonstrated that they can play an important role in the detection of chemical and biological agents. Molecular interactions with target species on the mechanical microtransducers surface generally induce a change of the beam's bending stiffness, resulting in a shift of the resonance frequency. In most biochemical sensor applications, cantilevers must operate in liquid, even though damping deteriorates the vibrational performances of the transducers.