Polyhydroxyalkanoate/carbon nanotube nanocomposites: flexible electrically conducting elastomers for neural applications.
OBJECTIVE
Medium chain length-polyhydroxyalkanoate/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) nanocomposites with a range of mechanical and electrochemical properties were fabricated via assisted dispersion and solvent casting, and their suitability as neural interface biomaterials was investigated.


METHODS
Mechanical and electrical properties of medium chain length-polyhydroxyalkanoate/MWCNTs nanocomposite films were evaluated by tensile test and electrical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. Primary rat mesencephalic cells were seeded on the composites and quantitative immunostaining of relevant neural biomarkers, and electrical stimulation studies were performed.


RESULTS
Incorporation of MWCNTs to the polymeric matrix modulated the mechanical and electrical properties of resulting composites, and promoted differential cell viability, morphology and function as a function of MWCNT concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the feasibility of a green thermoplastic MWCNTs nanocomposite for potential use in neural interfacing applications.
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Catalina
C
Vallejo-Giraldo
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Eugenia
E
Pugliese
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Mining-Metallurgy Engineering & Materials Science & POLYMAT, School of Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) 480130 Bilbao, Spain.
Aitor
A
Larrañaga
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Marc A
MA
Fernandez-Yague
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
James J
JJ
Britton
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Alexandre
A
Trotier
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Ghazal
G
Tadayyon
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Adriona
A
Kelly
Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 2-34127, Trieste, Italy.
Ilaria
I
Rago
Department of Mining-Metallurgy Engineering & Materials Science & POLYMAT, School of Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) 480130 Bilbao, Spain.
Jose-Ramon
JR
Sarasua
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 2-34127, Trieste, Italy.
Eilís
E
Dowd
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Pharmacology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Leo R
LR
Quinlan
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Abhay
A
Pandit
CÚRAM - Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Manus Jp
MJ
Biggs
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002470:Cell Survival; D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010316:Particle Size; D054813:Polyhydroxyalkanoates / Q000737:chemistry*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020724:Elastomers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D054813:Polyhydroxyalkanoates; D002118:Calcium
MWCNTs; PHA; elastomeric polymers; neural interfaces