Introducing a new approach to preparing bionanocomposite sponges based on poly(glycerol sebacate urethane) (PGSU) with great interconnectivity and high hydrophilicity properties for application in tissue engineering

Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional porous structure of poly(glycerol sebacate urethane) (PGSU) comprising nano-clay and polyacrylic acid (PAAc) was synthesized through a two-step synthesis route. Particulate leaching technique by introducing spun sugar as porogen was also performed as a fabrication method. It was hypothesized that the introduction of spun sugar with its filamentous shape would create interrelated pores required for cell adhesion and proliferation. Polarity, stiffness, and swelling capacity of PGSU would be enhanced by eco-friendly in-situ polymerization of PAAc and the contribution of biocompatible nanoclay. After characterizing the synthesis of PGSU-based scaffolds, viscoelastic behavior, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility of scaffolds were evaluated. Doubling of swelling capacity in dry state and decrement of water contact angle (WCA) approved the effect of polar carboxyl groups of PAAc in the improvement of polarity and hydrophilicity of PGSU. DMTA results in dry and wet states demonstrated that increasing the concentration of nanoclay and the presence of PAAc chains led to the increase in the storage modulus while the elastic behavior at body temperature was preserved. Eventually, the feasibility of the porous structure of PGSU-based scaffolds in tissue engineering became clear by in vitro biocompatibility test and significant cell adhesion in plasma-treated PGSU/PAAC/nanoclay. Accordingly, introducing clay nanoparticles and in-situ polymerization of acrylic acid, together with porous structure, make PGSU a suitable substrate for cellular interactions.