Biocompatible Nanobioglass Reinforced Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Composites Synthesized via In Situ Ring Opening Polymerization.
Zoi N TerzopoulouDiana BaciuEleni GounariTheodore A SteriotisGeorgia CharalambopoulouDimitrios N BikiarisPublished in: Polymers (2018)
Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a bioresorbable synthetic polyester widely studied as a biomaterial for tissue engineering and controlled release applications, but its low bioactivity and weak mechanical performance limits its applications. In this work, nanosized bioglasses with two different compositions (SiO₂⁻CaO and SiO₂⁻CaO⁻P₂O₅) were synthesized with a hydrothermal method, and each one was used as filler in the preparation of PCL nanocomposites via the in situ ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone. The effect of the addition of 0.5, 1 and 2.5 wt % of the nanofillers on the molecular weight, structural, mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer nanocomposites, as well as on their enzymatic hydrolysis rate, bioactivity and biocompatibility was systematically investigated. All nanocomposites exhibited higher molecular weight values in comparison with neat PCL, and mechanical properties were enhanced for the 0.5 and 1 wt % filler content, which was attributed to extensive interactions between the filler and the matrix, proving the superiority of in situ polymerization over solution mixing and melt compounding. Both bioglasses accelerated the enzymatic degradation of PCL and induced bioactivity, since apatite was formed on the surface of the nanocomposites after soaking in simulated body fluid. Finally, all samples were biocompatible as Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) attached and proliferated on their surfaces.
Keyphrases
- tissue engineering
- reduced graphene oxide
- hyaluronic acid
- carbon nanotubes
- visible light
- hydrogen peroxide
- gold nanoparticles
- mesenchymal stem cells
- umbilical cord
- ionic liquid
- drug release
- high glucose
- bone marrow
- staphylococcus aureus
- magnetic nanoparticles
- drug delivery
- oxidative stress
- pseudomonas aeruginosa
- quality control
- risk assessment
- liquid chromatography
- municipal solid waste
- clinical evaluation