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Fabrication and Design of Wood-Based High-Performance Composites
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Electrospun polylactic acid-chitosan composite: a bio-based alternative for inorganic composites for advanced
Merin Sara Thomas1,2,3, Prasanth K S Pillai4, Marisa Faria5,6
1International and Interuniversity Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarsini Hills P.O., Kottayam, Kerala, 686 560, India.
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine
|August 19, 2018
Summary
Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) and chitosan (CHS) composites were fabricated into electrospun mats. Optimal CHS content enhanced fiber uniformity and hydrophobicity, showing non-cytotoxic properties for biomedical uses.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Biodegradable materials are crucial for biomedical applications.
- Electrospun mats offer unique properties for tissue engineering and drug delivery.
- Polylactic acid (PLA) and chitosan (CHS) are widely studied biodegradable polymers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize biodegradable polylactic acid-chitosan (PLA-CHS) composite electrospun mats.
- To investigate the effect of chitosan concentration on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of PLA-CHS composites.
- To evaluate the potential of these composites for biomedical and environmental applications.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of PLA-CHS composite solutions using a mixed solvent system.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for fiber morphology analysis.
- Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) and contact angle measurements for surface properties.
- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal analysis for chemical interactions.
- Zeta potential measurements for stability assessment.
- Cytotoxicity studies using standard assays.
Main Results:
- Chitosan addition decreased fiber diameter and improved fiber uniformity in PLA mats, with an optimum at 0.4 wt% CHS.
- SEM confirmed reduced fiber diameter and uniform distribution.
- IGC and contact angle measurements indicated increased hydrophobicity with higher CHS content.
- FTIR and thermal analysis revealed weak interactions between PLA and CHS.
- Zeta potential measurements confirmed composite stability.
- Cytotoxicity studies showed the material was non-cytotoxic up to 0.6% CHS.
Conclusions:
- PLA-CHS composite electrospun mats can be successfully fabricated with tunable properties.
- The addition of chitosan enhances fiber morphology and hydrophobicity, making them suitable for biomedical applications.
- The non-cytotoxic nature of these composites up to 0.6% CHS opens avenues for their use in regenerative medicine and other biomedical fields.
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