Graphene Oxides as Substrate for Enhanced Mammalian Cell Growth

Graphene oxides (GOs), widely used as precursors in the reduction for single-layer graphene materials (rGOs), have found application potentials independent of those for graphene. In particular, the excellent aqueous compatibility of GOs has attracted growing interest in their biological applications. Studies on cellular interactions of GOs have been centered on the cytotoxicity evaluations. Beyond cytotoxicity, however, the cellular interactions of GOs apparently have other consequences. In this work, GOs as coating on solid-state substrate were found to be significantly enhancing mammalian cell growth, despite the fact that GOs in a more concentrated aqueous suspension were somewhat toxic to the same cell lines. Results for a comparison of cell growth on other surfaces based on carbon nanomaterials, including rGOs, carbon nanotubes, and composites of GOs with carbon nanotubes, are presented and discussed.