Nanocarbon and medicine: polymer/carbon nanotube composites for medical devices

Abstract In view of wide-ranging application to the biomedical field, this work investigates the mechanical and electrical properties of a composite made of Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNT) bundles self-grafted onto a poly-dimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) elastomer, particularly Sylgard 184, that has well assessed biocompatible properties and is commonly used in prosthetics. Due to the potential risks associated with the use of carbon nanostructures in implanted devices, we also assess the viability of cells directly grown on such composite substrates. Furthermore, as the stability of conductive, stretchable devices made of such composite is also crucial to their use in the medical field, we investigate, by different experimental techniques, the grafting of SWCNT bundles deep into PDMS films. Our findings prove that penetration of SWCNT bundles into the polymer bulk depends on heating time and carbon nanotubes can be seen beyond 150 μm from the surface. This is confirmed by direct electron microscopy observation of large bundles as deep as about 20 μm. The composites exhibit reliable mechanical and electrical responses that are more suitable to large and repeated deformation of the polymer with respect to thermoplastic based composites, suggesting a wide potential for their application to stretchable biomedical devices. Aiming at the proposed application of artificial bladders, a bladder prototype made of poly-dimethyl siloxane endowed with a printed SWCNT-based strain sensor was developed.