Poly(4-vinylaniline)/polyaniline bilayer functionalized bacterial cellulose membranes as bioelectronics interfaces

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 204; pp. 190 - 201
• Main Authors: Rebelo, Ana, Liu, Yang, Liu, Changqing, Schäfer, Karl-Herbert, Saumer, Monika, Yang, Guang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.01.2019
• Subjects: Bacterial cellulose; Bioelectronic interfaces; biosensors; cell viability; cellulose; Conducting composites; cytotoxicity; electrical conductivity; Functionalization; nanocomposites; neural stem cells; polymers; thermal stability; Conducting composites; Bacterial cellulose; Functionalization; Bioelectronic interfaces
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.10.017

[Display omitted] •ATRP combined with COP process to modify PANI coated BC with PVAN interlayer.•Formation of an intact PVAN/PANI bilayer of ∼2 μm on the BC membrane.•Enhanced electrical conductivity of BC/PVAN/PANI with PVAN grafting.•Confirmed SVZ cell viability of PVAN/PANI functionalised BC membrane.•Demonstration of BC/PVAN/PANI for construction of potential bioelectronic interfaces. Bacterial cellulose (BC) fibers are chemically functionalized with poly(4-vinylaniline) (PVAN) interlayer for further enhancement of electrical conductivity and cell viability of polyaniline (PANI) coated BC nanocomposites. PVAN is found to have promoted the formation of a uniform PANI layer with nanofiber- and nanorod-like supramolecular structures, as an overall augmentation of PANI yield. Compositional and microstructural analysis indicates a PVAN/PANI bilayer of approximately 2 μm formed on BC. The solid-state electrical conductivity of such synthesized BC nanocomposites can be as high as (4.5 ± 1.7) × 10−2 S cm−1 subject to the amounts of PVAN chemically embraced. BC/PVAN/PANI nanocomposites are confirmed to be thermally stable up to 225 °C, and no signs of cytotoxicity for SVZ neural stem cells are detected, with cell viability up to 90% on BC/PVAN/PANI membranes. We envisage these new electrically conductive BC/PVAN/PANI nanocomposites can potentially enable various biomedical applications, such as for the fabrication of bioelectronic interfaces and biosensors.