Piezoelectric electrospun nanocomposite comprising Au NPs/PVDF for nerve tissue engineering

In this study, gold nanoparticles/Polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) composite electrospun mat with enhanced piezoelectricity were fabricated and characterized. Gold colloidal nanoparticles (Au NPs) were prepared via laser ablation of metallic targets in liquid media. The active Q-switched Nd:YAG laser was used as an irradiation source. Then, PVDF was dissolved in Au NPs colloidal solution at 30% wt for the synthesis of Au NPs/PVDF composite nanofibers by electrospinning. The optical absorbance spectra of Au NPS and the polymeric solutions were obtained by the UV-Visible spectroscopy. Moreover, the morphology of Au NPS, nanostructures of fibers and diameter size distribution of nanofibers were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Transmitted Electron Microscopy methods. The crystallinity and piezoelectricity of PVDF and Au NPs/PVDF composite nanofibers mats were measured by X-Ray Diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared methods. Subsequently, in vitro cytocompatibility was evaluated by MTT assay and the attachment and morphology of PC-12 cells cultured on scaffolds were studied. It was found that laser ablated Au NPs can be used in electrospun nanofibers of PVDF with adequate structural properties and increase piezoelectricity of nanofibers which might be suitable for applying as nerve tissue engineering scaffolds. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1984-1993, 2017.