A nanowell-based MoS2 neuroelectrode for high-sensitivity neural recording

Implantable neural electrodes are crucial in neurological diagnosis and therapy because of their ultra-high spatial resolution, but they are constrained by high impedance and insufficient charge injection capacity, resulting in noise that often obscures valuable signals. Emerging nanotechnologies are powerful tools to improve sensitivity and biocompatibility. Herein, we developed quantized 2D MoS₂ electrodes by incorporating bioactive MoS₂ nanosheets onto bare electrodes, achieving sensitive, compatible recording. The 2D materials can create tiny nanowells, which behaved as quantized charge storage units and thus improved sensitivity. The key sensitivity indicators, impedance and cathode charge storage capacity, showed a multifold increase. The 17.7-fold improvement in catalytic activity of MoS₂ electrodes facilitated effective current transmission and reduced inflammatory response. In vivo recording showed that the sensitivity of local field potentials increased throughout frequency range and peaked at a 4.7-fold in β rhythm. This work provides a general strategy for achieving effective diagnoses of neurological disorders.