Three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds with tailored stiffness, porosity, and conductive properties are particularly important in tissue engineering for electroactive cell attachment, proliferation, and vascularization. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) have been extensively used separately as neural interfaces showing excellent results. Herein, we combine both the materials and manufacture 3D structures composed exclusively of PEDOT and CNTs using a methodology based on vapor phase polymerization of PEDOT onto a CNT/sucrose template. Such a strategy presents versatility to produce porous scaffolds, after leaching out the sucrose grains, with different ratios of polymer/CNTs, and controllable and tunable electrical and mechanical properties. The resulting 3D structures show Young's modulus typical of soft materials (20-50 kPa), as well as high electrical conductivity, which may play an important role in electroactive cell growth. The conductive PEDOT/CNT porous scaffolds present high biocompatibility after 3 and 6 days of C8-D1A astrocyte incubation.
Keywords: 3D scaffold; PEDOT; astrocytes; carbon nanotubes; conductive polymers; tissue engineering; vapor phase polymerization.