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Graphene Coatings for Biomedical Implants
Published on: March 1, 2013
Poly(ε-caprolactone)/graphene oxide biocomposites: mechanical properties and bioactivity
1Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Trinity Center for Bioengineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Biomedical Materials (Bristol, England)
|September 17, 2011
Summary
Graphene oxide (GO) significantly enhances poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) membranes, boosting mechanical strength and bioactivity for biomedical uses. These reinforced PCL/GO membranes show great potential in drug delivery, biosensing, and bioimaging applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Graphene-based nanomaterials show promise for biomedical applications like drug delivery, biosensing, and bioimaging.
- Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biocompatible polymer often used in biomedical devices.
- Enhancing the mechanical properties and bioactivity of PCL is crucial for advanced biomedical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanical properties and bioactivity of nanofibrous and porous membranes made from poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) reinforced with graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets.
- To understand the relationship between GO concentration and the resulting material properties.
- To evaluate the potential of these PCL/GO nanocomposite membranes for biomedical applications.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of PCL membranes with varying concentrations of graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets.
- Mechanical testing including tensile strength, modulus, and energy at break measurements.
- Assessment of bioactivity through biomineralization studies and porosity measurements.
- Characterization of interfacial interactions using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).
Main Results:
- The addition of 0.3 wt% GO increased the tensile strength, modulus, and energy at break of PCL membranes by 95%, 66%, and 416%, respectively.
- GO reinforcement improved the bioactivity of the membranes during biomineralization.
- The high porosity of the PCL/GO membranes was maintained at over 94%.
- Mechanical enhancements were attributed to altered fiber morphology and GO reinforcement, while improved bioactivity resulted from GO's anionic functional groups.
Conclusions:
- Graphene oxide (GO) significantly enhances the mechanical properties and bioactivity of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibrous membranes.
- The strong interfacial interactions, good GO dispersion, and intrinsic properties of GO contribute to the reinforcing effect.
- These strong, bioactive, and highly porous PCL/GO membranes hold significant potential for diverse biomedical applications.
