am5b04682_si_001.pdf (2.69 MB)
In Situ Generation of Cellulose Nanocrystals in Polycaprolactone Nanofibers: Effects on Crystallinity, Mechanical Strength, Biocompatibility, and Biomimetic Mineralization
journal contribution
posted on 2015-09-09, 00:00 authored by Mahesh
Kumar Joshi, Arjun Prasad Tiwari, Hem Raj Pant, Bishnu
Kumar Shrestha, Han Joo Kim, Chan Hee Park, Cheol Sang KimPost-electrospinning treatment is
a facile process to improve the
properties of electrospun nanofibers for various applications. This
technique is commonly used when direct electrospinning is not a suitable
option to fabricate a nonwoven membrane of the desired polymer in
a preferred morphology. In this study, a representative natural-synthetic
hybrid of cellulose acetate (CA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) in different
ratios was fabricated using an electrospinning process, and CA in
the hybrid fiber was transformed into cellulose (CL) by post-electrospinning
treatment via alkaline saponification. Scanning electron microscopy
was employed to study the effects of polymer composition and subsequent
saponification on the morphology of the nanofibers. Increasing the
PCL content in the PCL/CA blend solution caused a gradual decrease
in viscosity, resulting in smoother and more uniform fibers. The saponification
of fibers lead to pronounced changes in the physicochemical properties.
The crystallinity of the PCL in the composite fiber was varied according
to the composition of the component polymers. The water contact angle
was considerably decreased (from 124° to less than 20°),
and the mechanical properties were greatly enhanced (Young’s
Modulus was improved by ≈20–30 fold, tensile strength
by 3–4 fold, and tensile stress by ≈2–4 fold)
compared to those of PCL and PCL/CA membranes. Regeneration of cellulose
chains in the nanofibers increased the number of hydroxyl groups,
which increased the hydrogen bonding, thereby improving the mechanical
properties and wettability of the composite nanofibers. The improved
wettability and presence of surface functional groups enhanced the
ability to nucleate bioactive calcium phosphate crystals throughout
the matrix when exposed to a simulated body fluid solution. Experimental
results of cell viability assay, confocal microscopy, and scanning
electron microscopy imaging showed that the fabricated nanofibrous
membranes have excellent ability for MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation and
growth. Given the versatility and widespread use of cellulose–synthetic
hybrid systems in the construction of tissue-engineered scaffolds,
this work provides a novel strategy to fabricate the biopolymer-based
materials for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative
medicine.
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Keywords
tissue engineeringelectrospun nanofibersnovel strategyScanning electron microscopyuniform fibersnonwoven membraneExperimental resultsMC 3T cell proliferationCellulose NanocrystalsPCL contentnanofibrous membranescellulose chainsPolycaprolactone Nanofibersregenerative medicinecell viability assayscanning electron microscopy imagingSitu Generationhydroxyl groupsCAelectrospinning processMechanical Strengthpolymer compositionphysicochemical propertiesconfocal microscopywater contact anglecomponent polymersnucleate bioactive calcium phosphate crystalsbody fluid solutioncellulose acetatesaponification
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