Carbon nanostructures grafted biopolymers for medical applications

ABSTRACT

Enhancing biopolymers with carbon nanostructures leads to the creation of attractive materials suitable for diverse medical application. We studied surface properties and cytocompatibility of amine functionalised carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) grafted on biopolymer film. Poly-L-lactic acid and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate were treated in an inert argon plasma discharge and subsequently grafted with three types of amine-functionalised CNPs. The surface properties of (i) CNPs and (ii) grafted CNPs were studied using multiple methods. BET, electrokinetic and XPS analyses confirmed the successful grafting of amino-compounds on the surface and also into the pores of CNPs. Goniometry approved the binding of the modified CNPs on the polymer surface. From AFM is evident that both the biopolymers show completely changed surface morphology after grafting of CNPs. The cytocompatibility test with vascular smooth muscle cells showed that the presence of the modified CNPs on polymer substrates has a more positive effect on cytocompatibility of PLLA rather than PHB.

KEYWORDS:

• Biopolymers
• grafting
• carbon nanoparticles
• amine functionalisation
• surface properties
• cytocompatibility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Grant Agency of Health Ministry no. 15-33018A.