The morphological properties and biocompatibility studies of synthesized nanocomposite foam from modified polyethersulfone/graphene oxide using supercritical CO2

Abstract

In this study, octadecyl amine modified graphene oxide nanoparticles were used as a potential nucleating agent in the foaming process of the polymer, to increase its functions, especially for tissue engineering purposes. It has been established that the nucleation in the polymer depends on four factors of the nanoparticle weight percentage, foaming temperature, saturation pressure and the foaming time; however, it was found that the most important and effective variables are the nanoparticle weight percentage and then the foaming temperature followed by foaming time. Polymer foams have particularly good dimensional stability, and a proper change in the process variables can control the internal structure of the foam. In this study, adding 8% of modified graphene oxide as the nucleating agent, reduced the average diameter of polyethersulfone foam cells from 4.6 to 2.7 μm, or an increase of 40 °C in foaming temperature, increased the average diameter of the cells from 2.7 to 4.3 µm. Also, the toxicity tests and biocompatibility studies showed that the porous substance made by this method is nontoxic and can be used as a scaffold in the living bodies.