Printing: Fabrication and Characterization of Cytocompatible Polypyrrole Films Inkjet Printed from Nanoformulations Cytocompatible, Inkjet-Printed Polypyrrole Films

1. Bo Weng, 
2. Xiao Liu, 
3. Michael J. Higgins,
4. Roderick Shepherd, 
5. Gordon Wallace

Article first published online: 12 DEC 2011

DOI: 10.1002/smll.201190097

The utility of polypyrrole (PPy) as an interface to cells in a variety of applications including tissue engineering scaffolds and neural electrodes has been demonstrated; however, rapid micropatterning methods for processing such devices from PPy are yet to be fully realized. Inkjet printing is a rapid low-cost technology for the fabrication of thin films and microstructures at a typical resolution of 50–100 μm. In light of this, a stable inkjet-printable PPy nanodispersion doped with a gemini surfactant has been developed for inkjet printing. The cover image depicts inkjet printing of conductive cytocompatible PPy films from this nanoformulation. PC 12 cells are used to demonstrate the cytocompatibility of the inkjet-printed films. This novel approach to fabricating conductive PPy surfaces for tissue engineering is particularly useful where microstructures are required