Biodegradable polyurethane/graphene oxide scaffolds for soft tissue engineering: in vivo behavior assessment

Abstract

In this work, 3D porous electrospun scaffolds based on DegraPol^® (DP), a polyester urethane, with different concentrations of graphene oxide (GO) (0.0–2.0 wt%) were obtained. In order to produce scaffolds with increased porosity, solutions of DP and GO were co-electrospun with polyethylene oxide (PEO), which was subsequently removed. The electrospinning resulted in the formation of porous and fibrous scaffolds with superior elasticity. The colloidal Ag was successfully used as a novel method of scaffold sterilization. The results of the in vivo analysis showed scaffold degradation, absence of an inflammatory process and penetration of tissue cells in the scaffold.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Biodegradable scaffolds
• biocompatibility
• biodegradable polyurethane
• electrospinning

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Prof. Blazo Boev (Goce Delchev University, Stip) for morphology study by SEM and Prof. Valentin Mirceski (Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje) for sterilization of the scaffolds.

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge the European COST Action CA15107-Multi-Functional Nano-Carbon Composite Materials Network (MultiComp) for its support with a Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM) grant at Tallinn University of Technology.