Morphology, porosity, and biodegradation of PVA/CS/PEG/HAp nanofiber composites as scaffold in bone tissue engineering

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a bioceramic that can be applied for bone tissue regeneration. The hydroxyapatite scaffold has poor biodegradation. To increase the biodegradation of HAp, we composited it with PVA, Chitosan, and PEG polymers, which have faster biodegradation properties. PVA/CS/PEG/HAp composites nanofibers as a scaffold in bone tissue engineering were prepared by electrospinning. The composition of HAp varied 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6%. HAp was synthesized from natural deposits and characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) to obtain phase, crystallinity, and crystal size. Surface morphology and porosity of nanofiber composites were characterized by SEM-EDX. Previous studies without the addition of PEG produced less homogeneous nanofibers. Increasing the concentration of HAp and adding PEG could increase the average diameter of the nanofiber and reduce porosity. Composite biodegradation of PVA/CS/PEG/HAp was also evaluated. Biodegradation test was carried out by immersing the sample in Krebs solution prepared for 1-4 weeks, and the fastest mass reduction occurred in HAp (0%) and decreased with increasing concentration of HAp. This nanofiber HAp/CS/PEG/HAp composite can be applied as a scaffold in bone tissue engineering.