Electrospun aliphatic polycarbonates as tailored tissue scaffold materials

Two different aliphatic polycarbonates were synthesised from CO(2) and the respective epoxides. Poly(propyl carbonate) (PPC) was prepared by heterogeneous catalysis with zinc glutarate. Poly(cyclohexyl carbonate) (PCHC) was prepared via living copolymerisation homogeneously catalysed by a 3-amino-2-cyanoimidoacrylate zinc acetate complex and subjected to electrospinning. The obtained nanofibres had a well-defined morphology free of beads along the fibres and with slightly porous structures on their surface. Subsequently, low-power deep UV irradiations, previously applied for photochemical surface modifications of two-dimensional and three-dimensional scaffolds from biostable polymers, were performed. Here, an effect on surface and bulk properties of PPC nanofibres was observed. Surface modifications of both polymers affected plasma protein adsorption. Photochemical bulk modifications observed for the first time on PPC nanofibres are indicating the possibility of spatial control of biodegradation rates, hence allow for control of the progression of host/implant interactions in vivo. In particular PPC was used for cell culture of L929 fibroblasts and primary rat hepatocytes. Even delicate primary cells showed good adhesion to the scaffolds and high viability.