Publication Date

5-2023

Date of Final Oral Examination (Defense)

2-3-2023

Type of Culminating Activity

Thesis

Degree Title

Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering

Department

Materials Science and Engineering

Major Advisor

David Estrada, Ph.D.

Advisor

Julia Oxford, Ph.D.

Advisor

Amy Moll, Ph.D.

Abstract

We investigated the structure – property – processing correlation of graphene bioscaffolds produced using three different methods. Bioscaffolds were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sublimation of Silicon Carbide (SiC), and printed solvent assisted exfoliated graphene ink. To gain insight into the roughness and topography of graphene, AFM was performed on each bioscaffold. Raman spectroscopy mapping demonstrated differences in the I2D/IG ratio for each scaffold. Young’s modulus was determined by nanoindentation and indicated that epitaxial graphene had the highest average stiffness, followed by CVD, with printed graphene demonstrating the lowest average stiffness. To investigate the biocompatibility of each scaffold, cellular morphology and gene expression patterns were investigated using the bipotential mouse C2C12 cell line. While it is well established that cell differentiation is influenced by the structure and mechanical properties of the substratum to which cells are attached, this study provides new information about differences in cellular response to graphene scaffolds prepared by specific production methods. Graphene production methods determine the structural and mechanical properties of the resulting bioscaffold, which in turn determine cell morphology, gene expression patterns and cell differentiation fate. Therefore, production methods for graphene bioscaffolds must be chosen carefully with the ultimate biomedical application in mind.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18122/td.2048.boisestate

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