Printable Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites as Versatile Platforms for Immobilization of Functional Biomolecules

Abstract

A series of novel nanocomposites containing graphene oxide (GO) suitable for stereolithography is presented. Different loads of GO are tested, identifying that these materials can be printed with concentrations up to 2.5 wt% GO, presenting improved mechanical properties for concentrations below 1.0 wt% GO. In this range, the nanocomposites exhibit higher strength and toughness when compared to the pristine resin. Microscopic analyses of the material demonstrate that this can be correlated with the good compatibility of GO with the resin, which favors its homogeneous dispersion in the form of flexible nanoplates. After manufacturing, the availability of GO to participate in surface modification reactions with chitosan (CHI) and an alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is evaluated. CHI and ALP are well-known to act as biological cues in biorecognition processes, evidencing that these nanocomposites are suitable as platforms for selective immobilization of functional biomolecules.