The potential of graphene coatings as neural interfaces

Abstract

Recent advances in nanotechnology design and fabrication have shaped the landscape for the development of ideal cell interfaces based on biomaterials. A holistic evaluation of the requirements for a cell interface is a highly complex task. Biocompatibility is a crucial requirement which is affected by the interface’s properties, including elemental composition, morphology, and surface chemistry. This review explores the current state-of-the-art on graphene coatings produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and applied as neural interfaces, detailing the key properties required to design an interface capable of physiologically interacting with neural cells. The interfaces are classified into substrates and scaffolds to differentiate the planar and three-dimensional environments where the cells can adhere and proliferate. The role of specific features such as mechanical properties, porosity and wettability are investigated. We further report on the specific brain-interface applications where CVD graphene paved the way to revolutionary advances in biomedicine. Future studies on the long-term effects of graphene-based materials in vivo will unlock even more potentially disruptive neuro-applications.