Laser-Assisted Structuring of Graphene Films with Biocompatible Liquid Crystal Polymer for Skin/Brain-Interfaced Electrodes.

The work presented here introduces a facile strategy for the development of flexible and stretchable electrodes that harness the robust characteristics of carbon nanomaterials through laser processing techniques on a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) film. By utilizing LCP film as a biocompatible electronic substrate, we demonstrate control over the laser irradiation parameters to achieve efficient pattern generation and transfer printing processes, resulting in highly conductive laser-induced graphene (LIG) bioelectrodes. To enhance the resolution of the patterned LIG film, we employ shadow masks during laser scanning on the LCP film surface. Our approach is compatible with surface-mounted device integration, enabling the circuit writing of LIG/LCP materials in a flexible format. Moreover, we introduce kirigami-inspired on-skin bioelectrodes that exhibit reasonable stretchability, enabling independent connections to healthcare hardware platforms for electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) measurements. Additionally, we propose a brain-interfaced LIG microelectrode array that combines mechanically compliant architectures with LCP encapsulation for stimulation and recording purposes, leveraging their advantageous structural features and superior electrochemical properties. Our developed approach offers a cost-effective and scalable route for producing patterned arrays of laser-converted graphene as bioelectrodes. These bioelectrodes serve as ideal circuit-enabled flexible substrates with long-term reliability in the ionic environment of the human body. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.