Fabrication and characterization of a newly designed nanocomposite scaffold based on a gelatin network comprising multi-walled carbon nanotube and sodium montmorillonite nanoparticles

Abstract

In this decade, the preparation of porous scaffold as a template resembling the extra-cellular matrix with the ability to induce bone-like apatite formation is highly demanded. In the present study, a newly designed nanocomposite scaffold based on a gelatin network comprising multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT-COOH) and sodium montmorillonite nanoparticles (Na-Mt) was synthesized. The nanocomposite scaffolds were characterized by mechanical testing, porosity measurements FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and EDS. The inclusion of CNT-COOH and Na-Mt nanoparticles facilitated the deposition of Ca2+, CO32-, PO43- ions outside of the scaffolds after 14 days of soaking them in simulated body fluid (SBF). The highly porous scaffold with average pore size and mean porosity of 62.3 μm and 88.6 %, respectively exhibited 70.7 % swelling. By the introduction of the nanoparticles into the gelatin matrix, the mechanical properties of the composite scaffolds increased efficiently and contrarily their enzymatic degradation rate decreased. Elastic modulus and compressive strength of the introduced scaffold were reached 0.46 GPa and 3.71 MPa, respectively. In addition, the scaffold using NIR laser with different irradiation times showed high photothermal efficiency. Furthermore, cell cultures were carried out in the presence of in situ scaffold extracts and results revealed good biocompatibility of the scaffold without any cytotoxicity. Therefore, the prepared scaffolds with excellent microstructure, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, bone-like apatite mineralization capacity, and photothermal performance hold great potential for tissue engineering.