title: Next generation brain implant coatings and nerve regeneration via novel conductive nanocomposite development.
abstract: Composite materials based on the coupling of conductive organic polymers and carbon nanotubes have shown that they possess properties of the individual components with a synergistic effect. Multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/ polymer composites are hybrid materials that combine numerous mechanical, electrical and chemical properties and thus, constitute ideal biomaterials for a wide range of regenerative medicine applications. Although, complete dispersion of CNT in a polymer matrix has rarely been achieved, in this study we have succeeded high dispersibility of CNT in POSS-PCU and POSS-PCL, novel polymers based on polyprolactone and polycarbonate polyurethane (PCU) and poly(caprolactoneurea)urethane both having incorporated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). We report the synthesis and characterization of a novel biomaterial that possesses unique properties of being electrically conducting and thus being capable of electronic interfacing with tissue. To this end, POSS-PCU/MWCNT composite can be used as a biomaterial for the development of nerve guidance channels to promote nerve regeneration and POSS-PCL/MWCNT as a substrate to increase electronic interfacing between neurons and micro-machined electrodes for potential applications in neural probes, prosthetic devices and brain implants.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Surgery and Interv. Sciences, Royal Free Hospital, Medical School, UCL, London, United Kingdom. eleni.antoniadou.09@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Eleni V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Antoniadou
authors.forename: Rezal K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Jackman
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seifalian
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D053761:Nanocomposites; D009416:Nerve Regeneration