Polyvinyl Alcohol-Based Hydrogel As an Alternative to Standard Electrodes for EEG and EMG

The development of biocompatible and stable electrode materials is an important task for medical diagnostics and monitoring of physiological signals. Traditional liquid gel EEG electrodes have significant limitations: impedance increases as they dry, discomfort when worn for long periods, and difficulty in use. As an alternative, conductive polymer hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol with carbon black (CB) are proposed for EEG and EMG electrodes. Comparison with traditional electrodes showed that the developed CB-based hydrogel materials provide long-term electrical conductivity, high signal stability, improved skin contact, and the possibility of repeated use. Such electrodes are promising for non-invasive monitoring of brain activity and use in portable and wearable medical devices.