Carbon Nanotubes Transform Soft Gellan Gum Hydrogels into Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Coatings with Excellent Cell Growth Capability

Abstract

Carbone nanotubes (CNTs) possess distinct properties, for example, hardness, which is very complementary to biologically relevant soft polymeric and protein materials. Combining CNTs with bio-interfaces leads to obtaining new materials with advanced properties. In this work, we have designed novel organic-inorganic hybrid coatings by combining CNTs with gellan gum (GG) hydrogels. The surface topography of the samples is investigated using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Mechanical properties of synthesized hybrid materials are both assessed at the macro-scale and mapped at the nanoscale. A clear correlation between the CNT concentration and the hardness of the coatings is revealed. Cell culture studies show that effective cell growth is achieved at the CNT concentration of 15 mg/mL. The presented materials can open new perspectives for hybrid bio-interfaces and can serve as a platform for advanced cell culture.

Keywords

• carbon nanotubes
• hydrogels
• gellan gum
• AFM
• mechanical properties
• cells