3D Printed Polycaprolactone Carbon Nanotube Composite Scaffolds for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

Fabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds with the use of novel 3D printing has gained lot of attention, however systematic investigation of biomaterials for 3D printing have not been widely explored. In this report, well-defined structures of polycaprolactone (PCL) and PCL- carbon nanotube (PCL-CNT) composite scaffolds have been designed and fabricated using a 3D printer. Conditions for 3D printing has been optimized while the effects of varying CNT percentages with PCL matrix on the thermal, mechanical and biological properties of the printed scaffolds are studied. Raman spectroscopy is used to characterise the functionalized CNTs and its interactions with PCL matrix. Mechanical properties of the composites are characterised using nanoindentation. Maximum peak load, elastic modulus and hardness increases with increasing CNT content. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies reveal the thermal and crystalline behaviour of PCL and its CNT composites. Biodegradation studies are performed in Pseudomonas Lipase enzymatic media, showing its specificity and effect on degradation rate. Cell imaging and viability studies of H9c2 cells from rat origin on the scaffolds are performed using fluorescence imaging and MTT assay, respectively. PCL and its CNT composites are able to show cell proliferation and have the potential to be used in cardiac tissue engineering.