A Comparative Study of Three Approaches to Fibre's Surface Functionalization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Polyester-based scaffolds are crucial for tissue regeneration but require enhanced wettability and bioactivity.
• Surface modification is a key strategy to improve scaffold performance while preserving bulk properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare three surface activation methods (hydrolysis, oxygen plasma, aminolysis) for gelatin immobilization on poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) fibers.
• To evaluate the impact of these modifications on scaffold wettability, bioactivity, morphology, and mechanical properties.

Main Methods:

• Functionalization of PLCL fibers using hydrolysis, oxygen plasma treatment, or aminolysis to introduce carboxyl and amino groups.
• Gelatin immobilization via carbodiimide coupling or glutaraldehyde crosslinking.
• Characterization of surface gelatin content, fiber morphology, molecular weight, mechanical properties, wettability, and cytotoxicity.
• Assessment of L929 cell attachment and morphology on modified scaffolds.

Main Results:

• All surface activation methods resulted in hydrophilic PLCL scaffolds with no observed cytotoxicity.
• Hydrolysis significantly altered the fiber surface, while plasma treatment and aminolysis affected the bulk material.
• Gelatin immobilization improved L929 cell morphology, with hydrolysis and plasma treatment showing the best outcomes.
• Bulk mechanical properties were impacted across all modification approaches.

Conclusions:

• Surface activation methods for gelatin immobilization on PLCL fibers offer improved wettability and bioactivity for tissue engineering applications.
• The choice of activation method (hydrolysis, plasma, aminolysis) influences material properties and biological response.
• Optimizing activation parameters (concentration, time) is crucial to balance functionalization efficiency and preserve scaffold integrity.