Biocompatible protein-nanomaterial scaffolds for controlled drug delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Collagen-hydroxyapatite (Col-HAp) composites are promising for biomedical applications.
• Developing functional biomaterials requires optimizing mechanical properties and drug loading capacity.
• Controlled fabrication techniques are essential for creating effective drug delivery scaffolds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize Col-HAp composite scaffolds incorporating hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN).
• To evaluate the impact of h-BN on scaffold mechanical strength, surface area, and drug encapsulation efficiency.
• To assess the drug release kinetics, degradation profile, and biocompatibility of the developed scaffolds for drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Col-HAp scaffolds with and without h-BN using controlled lyophilization.
• Mechanical testing to determine scaffold strength.
• Surface area analysis using BET.
• Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy to assess collagen conformation.
• Drug loading and release studies using ciprofloxacin (CIP).
• Enzymatic degradation assays and cell viability tests.

Main Results:

• Col-HAp/h-BN scaffolds exhibited significantly improved mechanical strength (10.27 MPa) and surface area (47.27 m² g⁻¹).
• Efficient ciprofloxacin loading and sustained release were observed, following first-order kinetics for loading and second-order for release.
• Scaffolds demonstrated gradual degradation and excellent cell viability, confirming biocompatibility.
• Circular dichroism confirmed preserved collagen conformation in the composite structure.

Conclusions:

• Hexagonal boron nitride incorporation enhances the mechanical properties and drug delivery capabilities of Col-HAp scaffolds.
• The developed Col-HAp/h-BN scaffolds are mechanically robust, possess high drug loading capacity, and offer sustained drug release.
• These scaffolds are biocompatible and exhibit controlled biodegradability, making them suitable for advanced drug delivery applications.