Bio-interface behaviour of graphene and semiconducting SWCNT:C60 blend based nano photodiode for subretinal implant

Moorthy Vijai Meyyappan; Varadarajan Parthasarathy; Rathnasami Joseph Daniel

Bio-interface behaviour of graphene and semiconducting SWCNT:C₆₀ blend based nano photodiode for subretinal implant

View Fulltext

Author(s): Moorthy Vijai Meyyappan¹ ; Varadarajan Parthasarathy² ; Rathnasami Joseph Daniel¹
- Affiliations: 1: NPMaSS MEMS Design Centre, Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Tech , Annamalai University , Annamalainagar, 608002, Tamilnadu , India ;
  2: Centre for cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Faculty of Engineering & Tech , Annamalai University , Annamalainagar, 608002, Tamilnadu , India
Source: Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2020, p. 53 – 58
DOI: 10.1049/bsbt.2019.0045 , Online ISSN 2405-4518

This is an open access article published by the IET and Southwest Jiaotong University under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/)

Received 03/12/2019, Accepted 25/02/2020, Revised 22/01/2020, Published 13/03/2020

Hybrid interfaces between living cells and organic conjugated polymers play a pivotal role in bioelectronics medicine. Currently, conjugated polymers are widely utilised for optical stimulation of living cells and other bio-interface applications such as neural probes, cellular scaffolds and biosensors for drug release. In such a work, the authors fabricated and characterised the Nano Photodiode array device for the subretinal implant. However, the authors did not discuss in their report about the biocompatibility of this new device. In this work, the authors manifest that the quintessential graphene electrode and polymer blend of semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotube and C₆₀ fullerene (S-SWCNT:C₆₀) sustains its optoelectronic properties all through the various strides for neural preparation. Further, the studies show that these materials can provide a favourable environment for cell proliferation and a high degree of biocompatibility. PC-12 cells used as a valuable model to validate the biocompatibility were grown successfully onto the S-SWCNT:C₆₀ active layer still preserving its optical and electrical properties. The improved electrical performance of nano photodiode made of graphene, S-SWCNT:C₆₀ established in the previous studies and the excellent bio-interface performance of this nano photodiode shows that the nano photodiode array proposed by the authors is a strong candidate for subretinal implants.

References

1. 1)
  - [19]. Dennler, B.G., Scharber, M.C., Brabec, C.J.: ‘Polymer-fullerene bulk-heterojunction solar cells’, Adv. Mater., 2009, 21, pp. 1323–1338 (doi: 10.1002/adma.200801283).
2. 2)
  - [33]. Bahuguna, A., Khan, I., Bajpai, V.K., et al: ‘MTT assay to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of a drug’, Bangladesh J. Pharmacol., 2017, 12, pp. 115–118 (doi: 10.3329/bjp.v12i2.30892).
3. 3)
  - [15]. Khan, M.S., Shakoor, A., Khan, G.T., et al: ‘A study of stable graphene oxide dispersions in Various solvents’, J. Chem. Soc. Pak., 2015, 46, pp. 62–67.
4. 4)
  - [2]. Huang, H., Delikanli, S., Zeng, H., et al: ‘Remote control of ion channels and neurons through magnetic-field heating of nanoparticles’, Nat. Nanotechnol., 2010, 5, pp. 602–606 (doi: 10.1038/nnano.2010.125).
5. 5)
  - 37. Merrill, D.R., Bikson, M., Jefferys, J.G.R.: ‘Electrical stimulation of excitable tissue: design of efficacious and safe protocols’, J. Neurosci. Methods, 2005, 141, (2), pp. 171–198 (doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2004.10.020).
6. 6)
  - [30]. Shapiro, M.G., Homma, K., Villarreal, S., et al: ‘Infrared light excites cells by changing their electrical capacitance’, Nat. Commun., 2012, 3, pp. 310–376 (doi: 10.1038/ncomms1742).
7. 7)
  - [1]. Suzurikawa, J., Nakao, M., Jimbo, Y., et al: ‘A light addressable electrode with a TiO 2 nanocrystalline film for localized electrical stimulation of cultured neurons’, Sens. Actuators B, Chem., 2014, 192, pp. 393–398 (doi: 10.1016/j.snb.2013.10.139).
8. 8)
  - [20]. Bindl, D.J., Wu, M.Y., Prehn, F.C., et al: ‘Efficiently harvesting excitons from electronic type-controlled semiconducting carbon nanotube films’, Nano Lett., 2011, 11, pp. 455–460 (doi: 10.1021/nl1031343).
9. 9)
  - [10]. Gautam, V., Bag, M., Narayan, K.S.: ‘Single-pixel, single-layer polymer device as a Tricolor sensor with signals mimicking natural photoreceptors’, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, pp. 17942–17949 (doi: 10.1021/ja207853e).
10. 10)
  - [6]. Ghezzi, D., Antognazza, M.R., Maccarone, R., et al: ‘A polymer optoelectronic interface restores light sensitivity in blind rat retinas’, Nat. Photonics, 2013, 34, pp. 1–7.
11. 11)
  - [17]. Martino, N., Bossio, C., Morata, S.V., et al: ‘Optical control of living cells electrical activity by conjugated polymers’, J. Visualized Exp., 2016, 107, pp. 1–7.
12. 12)
  - [29]. Thompson, A.C., Stoddart, P.R., Jansen, E.D.: ‘Optical stimulation of neurons’, Curr. Mol. Imaging., 2014, 3, pp. 162–177 (doi: 10.2174/2211555203666141117220611).
13. 13)
  - [24]. George, P.A., Strait, J., Dawlaty, J., et al: ‘Spectroscopy of the carrier relaxation epitaxial graphene’, Nano Lett., 2008, 8, pp. 4248–4251 (doi: 10.1021/nl8019399).
14. 14)
  - [9]. Mzoughi, N., Remm, M., Neumann, B., et al: ‘Flexible einweg-sensorchips für das zell monitoring getestet mit lebenden zellen’. Dresdner Sensor-Symp., Dresden, Germany, 2015, vol. 12, pp. 251–255.
15. 15)
  - 31. Ghezzi, D., Antognazza, M.R., Maschio, M.D., et al: ‘A hybrid bioorganic interface for neuronal photoactivation’, Nat. Commun., 2011, 2, pp. 1–7 (doi: 10.1038/ncomms1164).
16. 16)
  - [18]. Swapnaa, P., Srinivasa Raoa, Y.: ‘Fabrication and characterization of semiconducting single walled carbon nano tube based bulk hetero junction organic solar cell using spin coating technique’, J. Chin. Adv. Mater. Soc., 2015, 4, pp. 1–16.
17. 17)
  - [27]. Gabor, N.M., Song, J.C. W., Ma, Q., et al ‘Hot carrier–assisted intrinsic photoresponse in Graphene’, Sci. Rep., 2012, 334, pp. 648–652.
18. 18)
  - [7]. Gautam, V., Rand, D., Hanein, Y., et al: ‘Communication a polymer optoelectronic interface provides visual cues to a blind retina’, Adv. Mater., 2014, 26, pp. 1751–1756 (doi: 10.1002/adma.201304368).
19. 19)
  - [5]. Cells, B., Martino, N., Feyen, P., et al: ‘Photothermal cellular stimulation in functional bio-polymer interfaces’, Sci. Rep., 2015, 5, pp. 1–8.
20. 20)
  - [8]. Feyen, P., Colombo, E., Endeman, D., et al: ‘Light-evoked hyperpolarization and silencing of neurons by conjugated polymers’, Nat. Publ. Group, 2016, 6, pp. 1–14.
21. 21)
  - [32]. Ghezzi, D., Pedrocchi, A., Menegon, A., et al: ‘PhotoMEA: an opto-electronic biosensor for monitoring in vitro neuronal network activity’, BioSystems, 2011, 87, pp. 150–155 (doi: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2006.09.008).
22. 22)
  - [31]. Vaquero, S., Bossio, C., Bellani, S., et al: ‘Conjugated polymers for the optical control of the electrical activity of living cells †’, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2016, 31, pp. 1–12.
23. 23)
  - [25]. Dawlaty, J.M., Shivaraman, S., Chandrashekhar, M., et al: ‘Measurement of ultrafast carrier dynamics in epitaxial graphene’, Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 2008, 1081, pp. 1–6 (doi: 10.1557/PROC-1081-P06-04).
24. 24)
  - 32. Liao, K.H., Lin, Y.S., Macosko, C.W., et al: ‘Cytotoxicity of graphene oxide and graphene in human erythrocytes and skin fibroblasts’, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2011, 3, pp. 2607–2615 (doi: 10.1021/am200428v).
25. 25)
  - [4]. Spira, M.E., Hai, A.: ‘Neuroscience and cardiology’, Nat. Nanotechnol., 2013, 8, pp. 83–94 (doi: 10.1038/nnano.2012.265).
26. 26)
  - 4. Cogan, S.F.: ‘Neural stimulation and recording electrodes’, Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng., 2008, 10, pp. 275–309 (doi: 10.1146/annurev.bioeng.10.061807.160518).
27. 27)
  - [26]. Jenkins, M.W., Duke, A.R., Gu, S., et al: ‘Optical pacing of the embryonic heart’, Nat. Photonics, 2010, 4, pp. 623–626 (doi: 10.1038/nphoton.2010.166).
28. 28)
  - 89. Martino, N., Feyen, P., Porro, M., et al: ‘Photothermal cellular stimulation in functional bio-polymer interfaces’, Sci. Rep., 2015, 5, (1), p. 8911 (doi: 10.1038/srep08911).
29. 29)
  - 34. Ferlauto, L., Airaghi Leccardi, M.J.I., Chenais, N.A.L., et al: ‘Design and validation of a foldable and photovoltaic wide-field epiretinal prosthesis’, Nat. Commun., 2018, 9, pp. 1–15 (doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-03386-7).
30. 30)
  - [14]. Polikov, V.S., Tresco, P.A., Reichert, W.M.: ‘Response of brain tissue to chronically implanted neural electrodes’, Neurosci. Meth., 2005, 148, pp. 1–18 (doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2005.08.015).
31. 31)
  - [28]. Bonn, M., Levitov, L.S., Koppens, F.H.L.: ‘Photoexcitation cascade and multiple hot-carrier generation in graphene’, Nat. Phys., 2013, 9, pp. 1–5.
32. 32)
  - [22]. Campoy-quiles, M., Ferenczi, T., Agostinelli, T., et al: ‘Morphology evolution via self-organization and lateral and vertical diffusion in polymer: fullerene solar cell blends’, Nature Mater., 2008, 7, pp. 158–164 (doi: 10.1038/nmat2102).
33. 33)
  - [12]. Vijai Meyyappan, M., Sugantharathnam, M., Joseph Daniel, R., et al: ‘Design and characterisation of graphene-based nano-photodiode array device for photo-stimulation of subretinal implant’, IET Micro Nano Lett., 2019, 11, pp. 1131–1135.

Login

Not registered yet?

Share

Tools

Login to add to favourites

Key

Bio-interface behaviour of graphene and semiconducting SWCNT:C₆₀ blend based nano photodiode for subretinal implant

References

Related content