"PLASMA FUNCTIONALIZATION OF CARBON NANOWALLS FOR THE CONTROL OF SUPERHYDROPHOBICITY AND THE ATTACHMENT OF NANOPARTICLES AND BIOLOGICAL ENTITIES"
TE_228

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Stage III. Synthesis, patterning and functionalization of carbon nanowalls for interaction with cells.
Investigation of cell attachment on CNW and functionalized CNW surfaces

 

Representative images obtained in the stage III of the project TE_228

1. CNWs synthesis, patterning and functionalization for cells culturing

a)	b)	c)
Photo images of a) mettalic mask used for CNWs synthesis; b) CNWs (black dots) grown through the mask and c) patterning sample with as-deposited CNWs

 

2. Morphology of as-deposited CNWs and nitrogen plasma functionalized

a)	b)
SEM image of CNWs surface (a) as-deposited and (b) plasma functionalized in N2

 

3. Cells adhesion on CNWs surface

a)	b)
	c)
(a) The fibroblasts adhesion on patterning sample with CNWs as-deposited. SEM images of adhered cell (b) oxide silicon and (c) CNWs surface

 

Images of fibroblasts attached on patterning sample with CNWs functionalized by nitrogen plasma

 

Conclusions

Patterned and continuous samples with CNWs structures were deposited and functionalized by reactive plasmas in order to be used as support for fibroblast cells growth. The as-deposited CNWs inhibit the attachment of cells. The inhibitory character of CNWs can be modified by plasma functionalization of CNWs in reactive gases (oxygen, nitrogen and ammonia). The treatment in nitrogen seems to be the most efficient for promoting the cell adhesion on CNWs surface. This result is supported by the distribution of cells on patterned CNWs surfaces, and by specific aspects in the attached cells morphology. Also, the results of cellular viability assay indicated an increase on fibroblasts viability in the presence of CNWs functionalized.