• Deman, Anne-Laure
• Brun, Mathieu
• Haddour, Naoufel
• Chateaux, Jean-François
• Frénéa-Robin, Marie
• Ferrigno, Rosaria

Abstract

This paper reports on the evaluation of thick Carbon-PDMS nanocomposite electrodes (C-PDMS), integrated in PDMS micro uidic systems to carry out electrical biological cell fusion. This conducting polymer preserves PDMS processing properties (soft lithography, O2 plasma bonding, ...) that allow patterning 3D conducting microstructures such as thick electrodes. A soft lithography process is proposed to perform integration of C-PDMS thick electrodes into a micro uidic channel, with the active area of the electrodes embedded in the side walls of the channel. Because electrical cell fusion requires high strength electric eld, C-PDMS electrodes robustness is investigated when electrolysis occurs. Despite electrolysis threshold is found around 1.5V on pure water (potential di erence between two C-PDMS electrodes with 200 m spacing), the threshold for bubbles production is far beyond this value (12 V for the same electrodes setup). Moreover, carbon nanoparticles release has been monitored when high electrolysis rate is achieved (electrodes polarisation up to 75V, pure water sample and 200 m electrodes spacing) and no electrodes degradation has been evidenced. Despite its low conductivity (up to 10 S.m-1) when compared with that of metals, C-PDMS is an excellent electrode material when high voltages polarisation (to get high strength electric eld), thick structures and no cell toxicity are required. These requirements are encountered for cell-on-chip devices and C-PDMS electrodes have been tested for on-chip electrical cell fusion. First results obtained on HEK293 cells have been obtained, demonstrating the ability of C-PDMS electrodes to produce electrical elds with the strength required to manipulate cells and to initiate cell fusion.

Topics

• nanoparticle
• nanocomposite
• impedance spectroscopy
• microstructure
• polymer
• Carbon
• strength
• toxicity
• lithography