Effect of Graphene Addition on Polycaprolactone Scaffolds Fabricated Using Melt-Electrowriting.

Johnson H. Y. Chung,Gordon G. Wallace,Sepidar Sayyar

doi:10.3390/polym14020319

Johnson H. Y. Chung, Gordon G. Wallace + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14020319

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Abstract

Melt-electrowriting (MEW) is an emerging method that combines electrospinning and extrusion printing, allowing the fabrication of micron-scale structures suitable for tissue engineering. Compared to other additive fabrication methods, melt-electro written structures can offer more appropriate substrates for cell culture due to filament size and mechanical characteristics of the fabricated scaffolds. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL)/graphene composites were investigated for fabrication of micron-size scaffolds through MEW. It was demonstrated that the addition of graphene can considerably improve the processability of PCL to fabricate micron-scale scaffolds with enhanced resolution. The tensile strength of the scaffold prepared from PCL/graphene composite (with only 0.5 wt.% graphene) was proved significantly (by more than 270%), better than that of the pristine PCL scaffold. Furthermore, graphene was demonstrated to be a suitable material for tailoring the degradation process to avoid undesirable bulk degradation, rapid mass loss and damage to the internal matrix of the polymer. The findings of this study offer a promising route for the fabrication of high-resolution scaffolds with micron-scale resolution for tissue engineering.

Highlights

IntroductionTissue engineering is an evolving strategy for repairing damaged tissues or organs.This approach offers an efficient alternative for complicated treatments such as organ transplantation or implantation of artificial prostheses [1,2]
Tissue engineering is an evolving strategy for repairing damaged tissues or organs.This approach offers an efficient alternative for complicated treatments such as organ transplantation or implantation of artificial prostheses [1,2]
After neutralizing, washing and drying, the chemically converted graphene (CCG) powder was dispersed in Dimethyl formamide (DMF) by using several cycles of sonication and centrifugation to prepare a DMF-dispersed CCG (0.5 mg/mL) dispersion that was stable for several months without any observable aggregation

Summary

Introduction

Tissue engineering is an evolving strategy for repairing damaged tissues or organs.This approach offers an efficient alternative for complicated treatments such as organ transplantation or implantation of artificial prostheses [1,2]. Tissue engineering is an evolving strategy for repairing damaged tissues or organs. PCL is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved bioresorbable polyester and has been used for medical devices since the 1980s [3]. It is one of the most commonly investigated biocompatible polymers for 3D printing because of its low melting point of 60 ◦C [4,5]. Carbonaceous fillers, on the other hand, have been extensively studied in the field of tissue engineering as a reinforcement to synthetic scaffolds due to their outstanding mechanical properties, ease of processing and high conductivity [6]. The incorporation of graphene-based fillers into polymer matrices has shown improved cell adhesion and proliferation without reducing cell viability [12]

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