Poly(3-hydroxubutyrate-co-4-hydroxubutyrate)/bacterial cellulose composite porous scaffold: Preparation, characterization and biocompatibility evaluation

Abstract

► Poly(3-hydroxubutyrate-co-4-hydroxubutyrate)/bacterial cellulose composite as biocomposite. ► Three-dimensional network structure composing of multi-distribution of pore size. ► A great increase in hydrophilicity and mechanical properties for composite scaffold. ► Biodegradability and biocompatibility become better than pure poly(3-hydroxubutyrate-co-4-hydroxubutyrate). Bio-composite scaffolds were prepared by freeze-drying using poly(3-hydroxubutyrate-co-4-hydroxubutyrate) (P(3HB-co-4HB)) and bacterial cellulose (BC) as raw materials and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as co-solvent. The characteristics of the composite scaffold were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), water contact angle measurement and tensile testing. Preliminary biodegradation test was performed for P(3HB-co-4HB) and P(3HB-co-4HB)/BC composite scaffold in buffer solution and enzyme solution. The biocompatibility of the composite scaffold was preliminarily evaluated by cell adhesion studies using Chinese Hamster Lung (CHL) fibroblast cells. The cells incubated with composite scaffold for 48 h were capable of forming cell adhesion and proliferation, which showed better biocompatibility than pure P(3HB-co-4HB) scaffold. Thus, the prepared P(3HB-co-4HB)/BC composite scaffold was bioactive and may be suitable for cell adhesion/attachment suggesting that these scaffolds can be used for wound dressing or tissue-engineering scaffolds.