Elgiloy (a stainless cobalt-chromium alloy, similar to a stainless steel) is available in monopolar electrodes for specialty applications, such as vibrating probes for SVET. Elgiloy is most commonly used in dental implants and offers good biocompatibility and corrosion resistance.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Versatile metal that offers good recording performance in acute and chronic applications.
Contains a small percentage of iron, which allows electrode tracts to be visually identified using Prussian Blue staining techniques.
Inadequate for microstimulation due to poor charge transfer characteristics and electrochemical instability during stimulation.
May corrode and degrade in performance when implanted for long periods of time or subjected to certain stimulation protocols.
These bipolar microelectrodes of MicroProbes are also available in Tungsten and Platinum-Iridium alloy. Each electrode is etched to a fine taper and tipped using a proprietary process to a specific impedance value. We offer a variety of different tip alternatives for those that prefer a specialized electrode profile for their research. There are four different tip profiles are also available to further fine-tune your electrode selection to your particular application. The tip selection can provide subtle yet important changes to the performance of the electrode, as described below. It is recommended that first time users consider experimenting with different tip profiles to determine which works best for their recording or stimulation protocols.
Stereotrodes are excellent for bipolar stimulation studies where the current injection needs to be confined to a small localized part of the neural tissue. They have also been used for enhanced isolation of single neural elements by simultaneous recordings of multiple units on two closely spaced microelectrodes. The tip spacing is typically equal to the diameter of the electrode shaft, however, they can be specified to greater separations in most instances.
A - STANDARD TIP PROFILE The standard tip profile features a sharp yet robust point that offers versatile performance and an effective balance between penetration and durability.B - BLUNTED TIP PROFILE The blunted electrodes are engineered to have a more rounded, bullet-shaped tip. For many applications the blunted tip can offer superior stimulation performance.H - HEAT TREATED TAPERED TIP PROFILE The heat-treated electrodes are intended for those investigators who must penetrate their probes through tough membranes, such as the dura mater of larger mammals.F - EXTRA FINE TIP PROFILE The extra-fine tip profile features a significantly sharper taper as well as a thinner insulation layer. Available in Tungsten only.
