Interfacing electrogenic cells with ultrathin layers of graphene for sensor applications

Abstract

Graphene as a conductive, transparent material, with a low cost and low environmental impact is reported to be ideal for sensor application. It is broadly investigated and promises an improvement of sensing performance due to its unique electrical transport properties. Therefore the use in active sensor elements such as ultrathin field-effect transistors for the detection of cellular signals is very novel. In this contribution the fabrication of ultrathin reduced graphene oxide (rGO) micropatterns via a soft lithography approach can be demonstrated using the Micromolding in Capillaries (MIMIC) technique. Graphene oxide (GO) patterns with 5 to 50 µm width and less than 20 nm height were obtained. The GO patterns could be reduced to rGO via an environmentally friendly chemical route using L-ascorbic acid (L-AA). Cardiac myocytes (HL-1 cells) could be coupled to the micropatterned graphene lines, proliferation was studied and cell adhesion could be detected by impedance spectroscopy.