Interpreting Dynamic Interfacial Changes at Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Carbon-fiber microelectrodes are instrumental tools in neuroscience used for the electroanalysis of neurochemical dynamics and recordings of neural activity. However, performance is variable and dependent on fabrication strategies, the biological response to implantation, and the physical and chemical composition of the recording environment. This presents an analytical challenge, as electrode performance is difficult to quantitatively assess in situ, especially when electrodes are permanently implanted or cemented in place. We previously reported that electrode impedance directly impacts electrochemical performance for molecular sensing. In this work, we investigate the impacts of individual components of the electrochemical system on impedance. Equivalent circuit models for glass- and silica-insulated carbon-fiber microelectrodes were determined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The models were validated based on the ability to assign individual circuit elements to physical properties of the electrochemical system. Investigations were performed to evaluate the utility of the models in providing feedback on how changes in ionic strength and carbon fiber material alter impedance properties. Finally, EIS measurements were used to investigate the electrode/solution interface prior to, during, and following implantation in live brain tissue. A significant increase in impedance and decrease in capacitance occur during tissue exposure and persist following implantation. Electrochemical conditioning, which occurs continually during fast-scan cyclic voltammetry recordings, etches and renews the carbon surface, mitigating these effects. Overall, the results establish EIS as a powerful method for characterization of carbon-fiber microelectrodes, providing unprecedented insight into how real-world factors affect the electrode/solution interface.