Fabrication of Concentric Carbon Nanotube Rings and Their Application on Regulating Cell Growth

Abstract

The carbon nanotube (CNT) pattern plays an important role in various electronic devices and biological fields for its superior conductivity and biocompatibility. Herein, we fabricated regularly arranged concentric multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) rings in a Petri dish by evaporation-driven self-assembly technology. By adjusting the dispersion ratio, heating temperature, and solution volume, various MWCNT rings with different shapes and morphologies were obtained. The variation law of ring radius, formation range, and ring numbers was processed with statistical analysis. With fine adjustment of parameters, the control of desired MWCNT rings can be achieved for further scientific researches. By culturing L929 cells with these rings, oriented cell growth along the rings was achieved, which is of significance for cell regulation, tissue repairing, and related biological applications.