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Current electrode designs require flexible substrates that absorb little moisture and provide large charge injection capability. Sputtered iridium oxide films have superior charge injection capabilities versus noble metals and can adhere to various substrates. Liquid crystal polymers (LCP) have very little water absorption compared to other flexible substrates. Therefore, the combination of sputtered iridium oxide film on liquid crystal polymer substrate was studied using 50Hz, 100μs duration, 10mA biphasic current waveforms for 700 hours at 67°C in bicarbonate buffer saline. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) analysis showed no delamination and approximately 1% of electrode material was lost to the bicarbonate buffer. The charge injection limit and the cathodic charge storage capacity within the water window were 4.6 +/− 1.0mC/cm 2 and 31.5 +/− 6.6mC/cm 2 respectively. Additional electrochemical analysis revealed significant charge imbalance attributed to oxygen reduction within the water window. These results, along with the flexible, chemically inert, biocompatible substrate, indicate that sputtered iridium oxide films on liquid crystal polymer could become the method of choice for flexible substrate nerve electrodes.

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