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Polymeric Nanocomposite Structures Based on Functionalized Graphene with Tunable Properties for Nervous Tissue
Alireza Talebi1, Sheyda Labbaf1, Mehdi Atari1
1Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran.
ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
|August 30, 2021
Summary
Graphene enhances electroconductive polymer scaffolds for tissue repair. These polycaprolactone/gelatin/polypyrrole and polycaprolactone/polyglycerol-sebacate/polypyrrole materials show improved conductivity and mechanical strength, proving non-toxic for regenerative applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Conductive tissue regeneration faces challenges in matching native tissue properties.
- Electroconductive scaffolds offer a promising solution for repairing damaged conductive tissues.
- Optimizing physiochemical and mechanical properties is crucial for effective tissue engineering constructs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate graphene-enhanced polycaprolactone/gelatin/polypyrrole (PCL/gelatin/PPy) and polycaprolactone/polyglycerol-sebacate/polypyrrole (PCL/PGS/PPy) scaffolds.
- To investigate the impact of graphene incorporation on the electrical and mechanical properties of these scaffolds.
- To assess the biocompatibility of the developed electroconductive biomaterials.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning technique used to fabricate PCL/gelatin/PPy and PCL/PGS/PPy scaffolds.
- Graphene (0-3 wt %) incorporated to modulate scaffold properties.
- Electrical conductivity, mechanical toughness, and elastic modulus were measured.
- Cell viability assays conducted to evaluate scaffold biocompatibility.
Main Results:
- Graphene incorporation significantly increased electrical conductivity, reaching up to 3.9 ± 0.3 S m⁻¹ with 3 wt % graphene.
- Enhanced mechanical properties observed: toughness reached 76 MPa (PCL/gelatin/PPy) and 143.4 MPa (PCL/PGS/PPy) at 3 wt % graphene.
- Elastic moduli increased with graphene content in both scaffold systems.
- Cell viability studies confirmed the non-cytotoxic nature of the graphene-containing scaffolds.
Conclusions:
- Graphene effectively enhances the electroconductive and mechanical properties of PCL/gelatin/PPy and PCL/PGS/PPy scaffolds.
- The developed graphene-enhanced scaffolds demonstrate promising potential for conductive tissue engineering and regeneration.
- These biomaterials offer a viable option for applications requiring conductive tissue repair where natural healing is insufficient.
