Abstract
Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a bioresorbable synthetic polyester widely studied as a biomaterial for tissue engineering and controlled release applications, but its low bioactivity and weak mechanical performance limits its applications. In this work, nanosized bioglasses with two different compositions (SiO2–CaO and SiO2–CaO–P2O5) were synthesized with a hydrothermal method, and each one was used as filler in the preparation of PCL nanocomposites via the in situ ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone. The effect of the addition of 0.5, 1 and 2.5 wt % of the nanofillers on the molecular weight, structural, mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer nanocomposites, as well as on their enzymatic hydrolysis rate, bioactivity and biocompatibility was systematically investigated. All nanocomposites exhibited higher molecular weight values in comparison with neat PCL, and mechanical properties were enhanced for the 0.5 and 1 wt % filler content, which was attributed to extensive interactions between the filler and the matrix, proving the superiority of in situ polymerization over solution mixing and melt compounding. Both bioglasses accelerated the enzymatic degradation of PCL and induced bioactivity, since apatite was formed on the surface of the nanocomposites after soaking in simulated body fluid. Finally, all samples were biocompatible as Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) attached and proliferated on their surfaces.
Highlights
PCL is an aliphatic, biodegradable polyester that can be synthesized via the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL)
The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of both nanobioglasses are presented in Figure 2. bBG exhibited three peaks at
The improvement was attributed to the formation of extensive interactions between the fillers and the matrix during
Summary
PCL is an aliphatic, biodegradable polyester that can be synthesized via the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL). PCL is an FDA-approved polymer [1] for hard and soft tissue applications, biocompatible and miscible with several polymers, processed and moulded, properties that led to a wide range of applications, especially in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and food packaging [2,3]. When it comes to biomedical applications, PCL does not possess the essential hydrophilicity, mechanical properties, or a fast enough degradation rate [1]. When nanofillers contain certain elements that are constituents of the inorganic phase of active tissues such as the bone, the final nanocomposite biomaterials have the ability to induce bone regeneration [6,7]
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