Fabrication of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polycaprolactone scaffolds for possible application in tissue engineering

Abstract

Flexible scaffolds made of polycaprolactone (PCL), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were created and chemically verified through RAMAN. The most suitable coupling percentages for PCL were 1%, 3%, and 5% MWCNT. The scaffolds were very stable with high hardness values (10–12 GPa). The PCL/MWCNT 5% scaffold was the most flexible and least resistant, with adequate porosity, pore size, and interconnectivity for cell anchoring. Moreover, the scaffold exhibited low cytotoxicity with a cell viability of 90%. These flexible PCL/MWCNT scaffolds were developed to support tissue engineering by providing a mechanical response with flexibility and elasticity like the surrounding tissue.