Properties of Retinal Precursor Cells Grown on Vertically Aligned Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Generated for the Modification of Retinal Implant-Embedded Microelectrode Arrays

Figure 1

Characterization of vertically aligned MWCNT growth achieved by a nanoscale catalyst layer of Fe, Fe-Pt, and Fe-Ti. (a) Synthesis was carried out on 8 × 8 mm² silicon wafer pieces by chemical vapor deposition. (b) Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the aligned growth of the synthesized MWCNT with a length of 18 μm for the Fe catalyst (scale bar: 1 μm), 60 μm for the Fe-Pt catalyst (scale bar: 10 μm), and 85 μm for the Fe-Ti catalyst (scale bar: 10 μm). (c) High-resolution transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the integrity and consistency of the Fe-Ti catalyzed MWCNT growth with an outer diameter of 9 nm and an inner diameter of 3 nm (scale bar: 5 nm). (d) Steam sterilization at 121°C for 30 minutes showed no impairment (scale bar upper panel: 10 μm, scale bar lower panel: 100 nm).

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