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Published on: February 7, 2016
Non-leaching cationic nanofibers from chitosan-g-PCL copolymer: A structurally durable platform for biomedical
1Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine Department, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara, Türkiye; Department of Biomedical engineering, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Türkiye.
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The possible leaching of chitosan (CS), which could result in a loss of bioactivity and structural instability, is a significant drawback of CS/polycaprolactone (PCL) blend nanofibers. This work offers a way to produce inherently cationic and long-lasting nanofibers by synthesizing a CS-graft-PCL (CS-g-PCL) copolymer. PCL and CS are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved polymers that are widely used in biomedical applications. PCL is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer and has good electrospinnable character, but suffers from a lack of functional groups. Instead, CS is biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, non-allergenic, bio-adhesive, and has attractive biological activities, but has poor electrospinability. Synthesized copolymers and PCL were characterized with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Hydrogen Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1HNMR), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results of characterization showed that the synthesis procedures were done successfully. Then, different blends of PCL with Graft copolymers were used to prepare nanofibers with electrospinning. Surface morphology of nanofibers investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface chemistry, hydrophilic and hydrophobic character, and mechanical strength of nanofiber matrices were characterized with X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), water contact angle, and mechanical tests, respectively. Importantly, CS was covalently bonded inside the fiber matrix, inhibiting its diffusion and producing no inhibitory zone, as demonstrated by XPS and antibacterial disk diffusion studies. This suggests a long-lasting, non-leaching architecture in which the fiber structure retains its cationic and antibacterial qualities for prolonged bioactivity after breakdown. This study effectively creates a cationic nanofiber platform that is structurally stable and perfectly suitable for uses that need a long-lasting positive charge, such as scaffolds for tissue engineering and long-term antimicrobial filtration systems.
