Biocompatibility of large-area two-dimensional electronic materials with neural stem cells.

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) electronic materials are emerging candidates for flexible neural interfaces, yet their biocompatibility remains unclear because most studies use exfoliated flakes or suspensions. Here, we report a systematic in vitro comparison of large-area, electronics-grade, chemical-vapor-deposited graphene, MoS₂, PtSe₂, and PtTe₂, together with flaky MoS₂ and thin-film metals, as substrates for mouse neural stem cells. All large-area 2D materials support neural stem cell viability and show live-dead and metabolic readouts comparable to laminin-coated glass. Each material also supports robust neuronal differentiation, with extensive βIII-tubulin expression. Flaky MoS₂ uniquely promotes strong neuronal maturation, yielding substantially higher fractions of NeuN-positive neurons, whereas PtSe₂ biases differentiation toward glial lineages, including oligodendrocyte- and astrocyte-like cells. These findings establish large-area 2D materials as biocompatible, tunable platforms for neural interfacing and highlight material format as a key design variable for future bioelectronic devices.