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3D Fabrication and Characterisation of Electrically Receptive PCL-Graphene Scaffolds for Bioengineered In Vitro
Mary Josephine McIvor1, Fionn Ó Maolmhuaidh2, Aidan Meenagh1
1Nanotechnology and Integrated Bioengineering Centre (NIBEC), School of Engineering, Ulster University, 2-24 York Street, Belfast BT15 1AP, UK.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 23, 2022
Summary
Adding graphene (G) to polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds via 3D printing improves their hydrophilicity and electrical conductivity. These enhanced PCL+G scaffolds significantly boost cell proliferation and bioactivity, offering promising biomaterial advancements.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Materials Engineering
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a versatile biomaterial known for its mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability.
- However, PCL's inherent hydrophobicity, lack of bioactivity, and electrical conductivity limit its applications.
- 3D fabrication offers a pathway to integrate desired properties into PCL scaffolds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of incorporating graphene (G) into PCL scaffolds using 3D printing.
- To characterize the physico-chemical, electrical, and biological properties of the fabricated PCL+G scaffolds.
- To evaluate the potential of these modified scaffolds for biomedical applications.
Main Methods:
- Solvent-free Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) was used to fabricate 3D scaffolds from PCL with varying graphene concentrations (0.75-6% w/w).
- Characterization included Raman spectroscopy for composition, water contact angle for hydrophilicity, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for electroactivity.
- Biological evaluation involved assessing cell viability and proliferation on the scaffolds.
Main Results:
- Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence and relatively uniform distribution of graphene within the PCL scaffolds.
- Water contact angles decreased significantly with increasing graphene content, indicating enhanced hydrophilicity (e.g., PCL+6G: 77.56 ± 6.75° vs. PCL: 107.22 ± 9.39°).
- Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed a marked increase in electroactivity with higher graphene concentrations. Cell viability assays showed significant improvements in bioactivity and proliferation, particularly with 1.5% and 3% graphene.
Conclusions:
- Incorporating graphene into PCL scaffolds via FDM 3D printing effectively enhances hydrophilicity and electrical conductivity.
- Graphene addition significantly improves the bioactivity and cell proliferation capabilities of PCL scaffolds.
- These graphene-modified PCL scaffolds show great promise for advanced tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
