Nanostructured biointerfaces created from carbon nanotube patterned porous silicon films

Interfacing mammalian cells with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) has been considered a potential route for various bioengineering applications. Here, the interaction between human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-SH, with catalyst-free SWCNT-decorated porous silicon (pSi) substrates is investigated. SWCNT-decorated surfaces were fabricated by chemically attaching carboxy-functional SWCNTs to pSi functionalized via an amino silane. SWCNT attachment was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Patterning of the amino silane on pSi by photolithography permitted the creation of patterned SWCNT-decorated pSi substrates. The number of cells attaching to the SWCNT decorated surface was observed to correlate with SWCNT density, implying that vertically aligned SWCNTs allowed the capture of cells. By incorporating a low fouling PEG silanization surface modification into the procedure, cell patterning was achieved on the fabricated SWCNT patterns. These SWCNT-decorated pSi substrates could potentially find application in lab-on-chip devices, particularly as platforms for the electrical stimulation of neuronal cells.