Functionalization of conducting polymers for biointerface applications

Abstract

As the field of biomedical engineering grows, there is increasing demand for materials that can interface with biological materials – notably for use as biosensors, medical implants, neural interfaces and tissue engineering scaffolds. Conducting polymers are promising candidates for these purposes, owing to good biocompatibility and intrinsic conductivity with superior mechanical properties compared to traditional metal-based materials. Functionalization of the conducting polymers can further enhance these advantages, imparting properties such as improved solubility, antifouling behavior, stimuli-responsive switchability and the ability to modulate cell growth and differentiation. This review briefly discusses the incorporation of biodopants and direct attachment of (bio)molecules to the conducting polymers, before focussing on the rapidly-growing field of polymer grafting – with the aim of tailoring these materials towards a range of bioapplications.