Fabrication of fibrous poly(butylene succinate)/wollastonite/apatite composite scaffolds by electrospinning and biomimetic process

In this paper, a novel kind of Poly(butylene succinate) (PBSU) /wollastonite/apatite composite scaffold was fabricated via electrospinning and biomimetic process. Pure PBSU scaffold and composite scaffolds with 12.5 wt% and 25 wt% wollastonite were firstly fabricated by electrospinning. SEM micrographs showed that all the electrospun scaffolds had homogeneous fibrous structures with interconnected pores and randomly oriented ultrafine fibers. The composite scaffolds were then surface modified using a biomimetic process. SEM and XRD results showed that apatite could deposit on the surfaces of the composite fibers after incubation in SBF and a novel fibrous structure with microspheres composed of worm-like apatite on composite fibers was formed. Incubation time and wollastonite content were found to influence the morphology of the scaffolds during the biomimetic process obviously. Both the amount and the size of the microspheres on the composite scaffolds increased with increased incubation time. After a certain incubation time, microspheres formed on the composite fibers with less wollastonite had a relatively larger size. Therefore, the microstructure of the composite scaffolds could be adjusted by controlling the wollastonite content and the incubation time. All of these results suggest that it is an effective approach to fabricate PBSU/wollastonite/apatite fibrous composite scaffolds with different material content and controllable microstructure for bone tissue engineering.     

Fabrication of poly(FOMA-b-EO)/silver nanocomposite hybrid films

A facile synthesis of silver nanoparticles (with a diameter of 5 nm)/polymer hybrid films was studied through auto-reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) in poly(1H,1H-dihydroperfluorooctyl methacrylate-b-ethylene oxide) (poly(FOMA(10k)-b-EO(10k micellar thin films at ambient temperature. Silver nanoparticles well dispersed in the block copolymeric micellar films were prepared by rendering the silver precursor AgNO3 to interact favorably with PEO blocks. With annealing of the micellar film containing AgNO3 in supercritical CO2, the domains and continuous phase of the micellar film morphology were inverted and silver nanoparticles with a diameter of 10 nm were produced in PEO domains. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles in the copolymeric films was confirmed by transmission electron microscope and UV-visible spectrophotometric analysis.     

Fabrication and characterization of porous calcium polyphosphate scaffolds

Porous calcium polyphosphate (CPP) scaffolds with different polymerization degree and crystalline phases were prepared, and then analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Thermmogravimetry (TG) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Number average polymerization degree was calculated by analyzing the calcining process of raw material Ca(H₂PO₄)₂, as a polycondensation reaction. Amorphous CPP were prepared by the quenching from the melt of Ca(H₂PO₄)₂ after calcining, and CPP with different polymerization degree was prepared by controlling the calcining time. Meanwhile, CPP with the same polymerization degree was prepared to amorphous or different crystalline phases CPP which was made from crystallization of amorphous CPP. In vitro degradation studies using 0.1 M of tris-buffered solution were performed to assess the effect of polymerization degree or crystalline phases on mechanical properties and weight loss of the samples. With the increase of polymerization degree, the weight loss during the degradation decreased, contrarily the strength of CPP increased. The degradation velocity of amorphous CPP, α-CPP, β-CPP and γ-CPP with the same polymerization degree decreased in turn at the same period. The full weight loss period of CPP can be controlled between 17 days and more than 1 year. The results of this study suggest that CPP ceramics have potential applications for bone tissue engineering.     

Fabrication and characterization of biomorphic 45S5 bioglass scaffold from sugarcane

A biomorphic 45S5 bioglass scaffold has been fabricated from natural plant sugarcane successfully by a novel biotemplating process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) technologies were employed to characterize the morphology, phase and chemical composition of the products. Experimental results show that the as-fabricated 45S5 bioglass scaffold retained the microstructure of sugarcane very well, and consisted of major crystal phase Na₂Ca₂Si₃O₉ of hexagonal system, secondary crystal phase orthorhombic NaCaPO₄ and amorphous glass. The biomorphic 45S5 bioglass scaffold may be a promising candidate scaffold for bone tissue engineering.     

Fabrication of poly(3-methylthiophene)/poly(ethylene oxide)/ruthenium oxide composite electrospun nanofibers for supercapacitor application

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - In the present work, composites of poly(3-methylthiophene)/poly(ethylene oxide)/ruthenium oxide nanofibers (PMT/PEO/RuO2) were fabricated by...     

N-组氨酸壳聚糖/左旋聚乳酸支架的制备及表征

在冷冻诱导相分离制备N-组氨酸壳聚糖支架(NHCS)的基础上进行二次相分离,利用不同取代度的NHCS和不同N-组氨酸壳聚糖/聚乳酸质量比制备一系列N-组氨酸壳聚糖/聚乳酸(NHCS/PLLA)支架。通过红外光谱、广角X射线衍射、热分析和扫描电镜等来表征NHCS/PLLA支架。结果表明,同一种N-组氨酸壳聚糖支架(50kD-NHCS-3),N-组氨酸壳聚糖/聚乳酸质量比减小,支架孔隙率减小,密度增大。支架材料的孔尺寸约在12~25μm,孔隙率均大于92%,抗压强度和弹性模量分别在0.33~0.78 MPa和1.75~5.28 MPa之间,有望适用于软骨组织工程支架。     

In vitro degradation of porous poly(lactic acid)/quantum dots scaffolds

In this study, cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide (CdSe/ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) were introduced into poly(lactic acid) (PLA) for fabrication of photoluminescent PLA/QDs scaffolds. TEM images revealed that the QDs were uniformly dispersed in the PLA. Compressive modulus and thermal stability of the PLA/QDs scaffolds are higher than those of the unfilled PLA scaffold. Cytotoxicity test results confirmed the non-cytotoxicity of the PLA/QDs scaffolds. During the process of in vitro degradation, the degradation rate of the PLA was accelerated by the presence of the QDs, and the molecular weight distributions of the PLA/QDs scaffolds were much broader when compared with the unfilled PLA ones. During the first 84 weeks of the degradation process, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of the PLA/QDs scaffolds decreased with almost the same degradation ratio. The results suggested that the CdSe/ZnS QDs have potential applications for monitoring in vivo degradation of tissue engineering scaffolds.     

聚L-乳酸/聚丁二烯基聚氨酯的合成与表征

以乙二醇和L-乳酸熔融直接缩聚制备双端羟基聚L-乳酸预聚物(PLLA),并用1H、13C-NMR、DSC、XRD对PLLA结构和性能分析表征.以液化二苯基甲烷二异氰酸酯(MDI)为偶联剂,端羟基聚L-乳酸和端羟基聚丁二烯(HTPB)偶联反应制备橡胶改性聚乳酸基聚氨酯弹性体,并用FT-IR,1H、13C-NMR对聚合产物进行结构表征确认.DSC测试结果表明聚氨酯有聚丁二烯段和聚乳酸段两个玻璃化转变温度,熔融温度基本在130℃.随着聚丁二烯含量的增加,结晶衍射峰逐渐消失,聚氨酯的拉伸强度降低,断裂伸长率增加.断面扫描电镜结果显示聚氨酯呈微相分离结构和弹性断裂.     

Preparation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/nano-hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/nano-hydroxyapatite (PHB/nHA) composite scaffolds were fabricated via powder mixing, compression moulding, and particle leaching technique. The scaffolds had high porosity with interconnected porous architecture, a favorable structure for cell attachment and new bone tissue ingrowth. A homogeneous dispersion and a uniform distribution of HA nanoparticles in the polymer matrix were obtained. The scaffolds exhibited improved compressive modulus and compressive strength, which were all in the range of compressive modulus and compressive strength of cancellous bone. In addition, the use of toxic organic solvents was eliminated. Thus, the fabricated PHB/nHA composite scaffolds tend to be promising for application in bone tissue engineering.     

Ectopic bone formation in cell-seeded poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(butylene terephthalate) copolymer scaffolds of varying porosity

Scaffolds from poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(butylene terephthalate), PEOT/PBT, with a PEO molecular weight of 1,000 and a PEOT content of 70 weight% (1000PEOT70PBT30) were prepared by leaching salt particles (425–500 μm). Scaffolds of 73.5, 80.6 and 85.0% porosity were treated with a CO₂ gas plasma and seeded with rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). After in vitro culture for 7 days (d) in an osteogenic medium the scaffolds were subcutaneously implanted for 4 weeks in nude mice. Poly(d, l-lactide) (PDLLA) and biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds were included as references. After 4 weeks (wks) all scaffolds showed ectopic formation of bone and bone marrow. For the scaffolds of different porosities, no significant differences were observed in the relative amounts of bone (7–9%) and bone marrow (6–11%) formed, even though micro computed tomography (μ-CT) data showed considerable differences in accessible pore volume and surface area. 1000PEOT70PBT30 scaffolds with a porosity of 85% could not maintain their original shape in vivo. Surprisingly, 1000PEOT70PBT30 scaffolds with a porosity of 73.5% showed cartilage formation. This cartilage formation is most likely due to poorly accessible pores in the scaffolds, as was observed in histological sections. μ-CT data showed a considerably smaller accessible pore volume (as a fraction of the total volume) than in 1000PEOT70PBT30 scaffolds of 80.6 and 85.0% porosity. BMSC seeded PDLLA (83.5% porosity) and BCP scaffolds (29% porosity) always showed considerably more bone and bone marrow formation (bone marrow formation is approximately 40%) and less fibrous tissue ingrowth than the 1000PEOT70PBT30 scaffolds. The scaffold material itself can be of great influence. In more hydrophobic and rigid scaffolds like the PDLLA or BCP scaffolds, the accessibility of the pore structure is more likely to be preserved under the prevailing physiological conditions than in the case of hydrophilic 1000PEOT70PBT30 scaffolds. Scaffolds prepared from other PEOT/PBT polymer compositions, might prove to be more suited.     

Fabrication of poly(ε-caprolactone)/hydroxyapatite scaffold using rapid direct deposition

Macrochanneled poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds were fabricated using the rapid direct deposition process, in which a warm PCL-HA/acetone slurry was deposited through an 520-μm orifice in an ethanol coagulation reservoir, producing a continuous rigid filament via solvent extraction. This method allowed the macrochanneled PCL/HA scaffolds to have a controlled structure, which was constructed using a ∼330-μm filament, in which the HA particles were well dispersed in the PCL matrix. The bonding between the deposited filaments was further enhanced by post heat-treatment at 60 °C for 30 min. The fabricated scaffold showed linear elasticity followed by densification without catastrophic failure, owing to the rubbery characteristic of the PCL polymer.     

浸没凝胶相分离法制备聚己内酯多孔支架

为了制备结构和性能满足骨组织工程支架要求的聚己内酯(PCL)多孔支架材料,采用浸没凝胶相分离法,以冰醋酸和丙酮为混合溶剂,水为凝固剂,壳聚糖(CS)颗粒为添加剂制得一系列PCL多孔支架。探讨了溶剂组成、PCL浓度、CS添加量对PCL多孔支架结构和性能的影响。结果表明:添加CS颗粒有利于形成多孔三维支架,随着CS含量的增加,孔隙率略微下降,抗压强度提高。随着PCL质量分数的增加,孔隙率明显下降,但抗压强度增大。当溶剂组成中丙酮含量为50 wt%~60 wt%,PCL质量分数不高于10 wt%时,通过改变CS用量,可制得孔隙率和力学性能满足骨组织工程要求的相互贯通的三维多孔支架材料。     

Porous poly(vinyl alcohol)/sepiolite bone scaffolds: Preparation,structure and mechanical properties

Porous poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/sepiolite nanocomposite scaffolds containing 0–10 wt.% sepiolite were prepared by freeze-drying and thermally crosslinked with poly(arylic acid). The microstructure of the obtained scaffolds was characterised by scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography, which showed a ribbon and ladder like interconnected structure. The incorporation of sepiolite increased the mean pore size and porosity of the PVA scaffold as well as the degree of anisotropy due to its fibrous structure. The tensile strength, modulus and energy at break of the PVA solid material that constructed the scaffold were found to improve with additions of sepiolite by up to 104%, 331% and 22% for 6 wt.% clay. Such enhancements were attributed to the strong interactions between the PVA and sepiolite, the good dispersion of sepiolite nanofibres in the matrix and the intrinsic properties of the nanofibres. However, the tensile properties of the PVA scaffold deteriorated in the presence of sepiolite because of the higher porosity, pore size and degree of anisotropy. The PVA/sepiolite nanocomposite scaffold containing 6 wt.% sepiolite was characterised by an interconnected structure, a porosity of 89.5% and a mean pore size of 79 μm and exhibited a tensile strength of 0.44 MPa and modulus of 14.9 MPa, which demonstrates potential for this type of materials to be further developed as bone scaffolds.     

Preparation of a novel biodegradable nanocomposite scaffold based on poly (3-hydroxybutyrate)/bioglass nanoparticles for bone tissue engineering

One of the most important challenges in composite scaffolds is pore architecture. In this study, poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) with 10% bioglass nanoparticles was prepared by the salt leaching processing technique, as a nanocomposite scaffold. The scaffolds were characterized by SEM, FTIR and DTA. The SEM images demonstrated uniformed porosities of appropriate sizes (about 250–300 μm) which are interconnected. Furthermore, higher magnification SEM images showed that the scaffold possesses less agglomeration and has rough surfaces that may improve cell attachment. In addition, the FTIR and DTA results showed favorable interaction between polymer and bioglass nanoparticles which improved interfaces in the samples. Moreover, the porosity of the scaffold was assessed, and the results demonstrated that the scaffold has uniform and high porosity in its structure (about 84%). Finally it can be concluded that this scaffold has acceptable porosity and morphologic character paving the way for further studies to be conducted from the perspective of bone tissue engineering.     

Preparation and characterization of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) electrospun fibers

Ultrafine fibers of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (CS/PVA/PVP) were prepared via electrospinning. The structure and morphology of CS/PVA/PVP ultrafine fibers was characterized by the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Furthermore, the effects of the concentration of PVA, PVP and the electrospinning voltage on the morphology of ultrafine fibers were investigated the the SEM. When the concentration of PVA was at the range of 30wt%–40wt%, ultrafine fibers could be obtained. The diameter distributions of ultrafine fibers decreased when the electrospinning voltage increased from 20 to 30 kV. The rough surface fibers could be obtained after etching with CHCl₃.     

骨组织工程多孔支架材料性质及制备技术

多孔性生物可降解支架的选择和制备是组织工程技术成功运用的关键。从骨架的材料要求、常用的骨架材料、骨架的制备技术等几个方面对组织工程和生物降解支架的研究进行了综述 ,并对该研究的前景进行了展望     

Fabrication and characterization of bioactive silk fibroin/wollastonite composite scaffolds

Composite scaffolds of silk fibroin (SF) with bioactive wollastonite were prepared by freeze-drying. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analysis showed that random coil and β-sheet structure co-existed in the SF scaffold. The mechanical performance, surface hydrophilicity and water-uptake capacity of the composite scaffolds were improved compared with those of pure SF scaffold. The bioactivity of the composite scaffold was evaluated by soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF), and formation of a hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) layer was determined by FT-IR and XRD. The results showed that the SF/wollastonite composite scaffold was bioactive as it induced the formation of HCA on the surface of the composite scaffold after soaking in SBF for 5 days. In vitro cell attachment and proliferation tests showed that the composite scaffold was a good matrix for the growth of L929 mouse fibroblast cells. Consequently, the incorporation of wollastonite into the SF scaffold can enhance both the mechanical strength and bioactivity of the scaffold, which suggests that the SF/wollastonite composite scaffold may be a potential biomaterial for tissue engineering.     

Fabrication and characterization of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)-gold nanoshell structures

Novel core-shell structures were presented here which consist of Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) microspheres as cores and gold as shells. The fabrication of these structures was convenient because the modifications to PNIPAM or gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were omitted. GNPs were attached to the surface of PNIPAM microspheres by means of electrostatic adsorption, and then acted as seeds to grow quickly into complete shells by optimizing the pH of the HAuCl4 solution to control the growth rate of gold nanoshells (GNSs). These structures combine the thermo-responsive behavior of PNIPAM microspheres with optical property of GNSs, and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the GNSs can be changed by adjusting the temperature of the PNIPAM microspheres which make them have great prospects for drug release. Their good biological stability in bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the LSPR located near 700 nm are expected for optical biosensors and optical analysis of whole-blood.     

Fabrication and characterization of novel hydroxyapatite/porous carbon composite scaffolds

Novel hydroxyapatite (HA)/porous carbon composite scaffolds were prepared by applying sonoelectrodeposition and a subsequent hydrothermal treatment to previous carbonized phenolic resin coated polyurethane sponges. The interconnected pore network and morphology of HA/porous carbon composite scaffolds were determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the whole surface of porous carbons were evenly coated with the deposited HA layer which was confirmed by EDS and XRD. The porosity (83.5 ± 0.3%) and the bulk density (0.297 ± 0.009 g·cm⁻³) of HA/porous carbon scaffolds were detected by the Archimedes method. The compressive and flexural strength of the scaffolds is 1.187 ± 0.064 MPa and 0.607 ± 0.268 MPa, respectively. Compared with the polymeric surface of 24-well cell culture plates, these novel scaffolds significantly promote the proliferation of human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells, indicating that this novel HA/porous carbon composite scaffold could be used for in vitro 3D culture of osteoblasts.