title: Prevention of the rapid degradation of subcutaneously implanted Ag/AgCl reference electrodes using polymer coatings.
abstract: To assess the effect of the biological response to implanted Ag/AgCl reference electrodes on the electrode stability, uncoated and polymer-coated Ag/AgCl electrodes were implanted subcutaneously in rats. After 1 week of implantation, uncoated Ag/AgCl electrode potentials, measured in 0.1 M KCl, shifted by about -180 mV, and both voltammetry and electron microscopy showed that all the AgCl was removed. The electrodes could be significantly protected by coating with polyurethane or a perfluorinated ionomer (Nafion) cured at 120 degrees C for 1 h. Electron micrographs showed the 120 degrees C cured Nafion and polyurethane coatings remained intact over 2 weeks of implantation. Following 2 weeks of implantation the cured, Nafion-coated electrodes' potentials were shifted by -15 +/- 7 mV relative to the initial values. Voltammetry showed that they were still not polarizable. The current densities obtained with the coated reference electrodes are sufficient for their use as counter/pseudoreference electrodes with implantable two-electrode glucose sensor systems. The tissue response to coated electrodes was minimal in comparison to the response to uncoated reference electrodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moussy
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers; D011140:Polyurethanes; D051381:Rats; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers; D011140:Polyurethanes; D018030:Silver Compounds; C040402:perfluorosulfonic acid; D012834:Silver; C037548:silver chloride