Suchergebnisse

Graphene-based materials represent a useful tool for the realization of novel neural interfaces. Several studies have demonstrated the biocompatibility of graphene-based supports, but the biological interactions between graphene and neurons still pose open questions. In this work, the influence of graphene films with different characteristics on the growth and maturation of primary cortical neurons is investigated. Graphene films are grown by chemical vapor deposition progressively lowering the temperature range from 1070 to 650 °C to change the lattice structure and corresponding electrical conductivity. Two graphene-based films with different electrical properties are selected and used as substrate for growing primary cortical neurons: i) highly crystalline and conductive (grown at 1070 °C) and ii) highly disordered and 140-times less conductive (grown at 790 °C). Electron and fluorescence microscopy imaging reveal an excellent neuronal viability and the development of a mature, structured, and excitable network onto both substrates, regardless of their microstructure and electrical conductivity. The results underline that high electrical conductivity by itself is not fundamental for graphene-based neuronal interfaces, while other physico– chemical characteristics, including the atomic structure, should be also considered in the design of functional, bio-friendly templates. This finding widens the spectrum of carbon-based materials suitable for neuroscience applications. ; European Union (EU) 785219-Graphene Flagship-Core2 ; Ministero degli Affari Esteri e Cooperazione Internazionale of Italy (Farnesina-MAECI) MAE0057294 ; Basic Science Research Program ; Creative Materials Discovery Program ; International Research & Development Program through the NRF of Korea 2016M3A7B4910940 2018M3D1A1058793 2019K1A3A1A25000267 ; European Union's Horizon 2020 under the Marie Skodowska-Curie Action-COFUND Athenea3i grant 754446 ; European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skodowska-Curie grant 713640

We developed a nanostructure to enhance the photoluminescence intensity of two-dimensional monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides based on plasmonic supercrystal arrays. These plasmonic supercrystal arrays are deposited on top the monolayers by means of a template-assisted assembly of gold nanospheres with patterned polydimethylsiloxane molds [1]. These supercrystals arrays consist on square arrays of hexagonally packed gold nanoparticles (50 nm of diameter) which exhibit well-defined surface lattice resonance modes that can be tuned from the visible through the near-infrared by simple variation of the lattice parameter. This tunability can be used to enhance the photoluminescence emission of different transition metal dichalcogenides monolayers. So, as proof of concept, the photoluminescence signal of the monolayer MoS2 and MoSe2 can be significantly enhanced up to 5-6-fold coupling the frequency of the surface lattice resonance of the plasmonic supercrystal to the frequency emission of the transition metal dichalcogenides monolayer. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 840064