Current and emerging strategies for biocompatible materials for implantable electronics

The application of electronics to biological systems has rapidly developed over the last century, facilitating significant advances in the diagnosis and therapy of a large range of conditions. The electrodes within these devices are a crucial component in enabling high-quality, low noise signal recordings to be achieved. However, most of the traditional materials used to maximize these electrical properties are often at odds with the need to integrate and interface successfully with biological tissue. This review provides an overview of the current considerations, challenges, and progress in bypassing these barriers in vivo through material selection and fabrication, by considering the performance requirements of an implantable electrode and practical limitations imposed by the current fabrication technologies. We then summarize with an overview of the current state-of-the-art and emerging materials for implantable electrodes.