Tailoring mechanical properties of printed GelMA scaffolds with multilayers of PLA/Laponite nanocomposite fibers

Abstract

This study focuses on the fabrication and evaluation of hybrid scaffolds of printed GelMA hydrogels reinforced with multilayered Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA)/Laponite (LAP) microfibrous membranes. PLA microfibers with different amounts of LAP (0, 1.0, 2.5, and 5%) were prepared by rotary-jet spinning and subjected to oxygen plasma treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for morphological and compositional analyzes. Their mechanical properties were evaluated by uniaxial tensile tests, showing the improved mechanical strength by the incorporation of LAP, specially in the PLA/ LAP 2.5% group. Then, the microfibrous membranes were integrated into printed GelMA hydrogel layers, resulting in GelMA-PLA/LAP hybrid scaffolds, whose interaction and integrity were confirmed by SEM. The mechanical evaluation using uniaxial compression tests showed a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the hybrid scaffolds which can be attributed to the inclusion of microfibrous membranes. These results highlight the potential benefits of GelMA-PLA/LAP scaffolds for tissue engineering applications by leveraging the mechanical reinforcement provided by the PLA/LAP microfibrous layers.