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Conducting Composite Material Based on Chitosan and Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes for Cellular Technologies
Vera Vladimirovna Kodolova-Chukhontseva1, Mikhail Alexandrovich Shishov1, Konstantin Andreevich Kolbe2
1Research Laboratory "Polymer Materials for Tissue Engineering and Transplantology", Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Polytechnicheskaya Street, 29, 195251 Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
Electrically conductive chitosan films enhanced with single-wall carbon nanotubes show improved mechanical strength and conductivity. These biocompatible materials influence the biological effects of electrical stimulation on human dermal fibroblasts.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Materials Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer with potential applications in tissue engineering.
- Enhancing chitosan's electrical properties is crucial for developing advanced biomaterials.
- Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) offer excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical reinforcement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop biocompatible, electrically conductive chitosan-based films incorporating SWCNTs.
- To investigate the impact of SWCNTs on the morphological, mechanical, and electrical properties of chitosan films.
- To explore the influence of SWCNT content on the biological response of human dermal fibroblasts to electrical stimulation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of chitosan films with varying SWCNT concentrations (0.1-3.0 wt.%).
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM) for surface topography analysis.
- Tensile testing to evaluate mechanical properties (tensile strength and strain).
- Electrical conductivity measurements.
- In vitro study of electrical stimulation on human dermal fibroblasts cultured on the film scaffolds.
Main Results:
- SWCNT incorporation altered the surface morphology of chitosan films.
- Chitosan/SWCNT films exhibited significantly enhanced tensile strength (up to ~180 MPa) and tensile strain (up to ~60%) compared to pure chitosan.
- Electrical conductivity increased from 10-11 S/m for pure chitosan to 10 S/m for films with 0.1-3.0 wt.% SWCNTs.
- The biological effect of electrical stimulation on fibroblasts was dependent on the SWCNT content in the chitosan matrix.
Conclusions:
- Biocompatible chitosan/SWCNT composite films possess enhanced mechanical and electrical properties.
- These materials show promise for applications requiring electrical conductivity and mechanical support in tissue engineering.
- The SWCNT content critically influences the cellular response to electrical stimulation, highlighting the potential for tunable bioelectronic interfaces.
