Biocompatible electrically conductive nanofibers from inorganic-organic shape memory polymers

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces B, Biointerfaces, 2016-12, Vol.148, p.557-565
• Main Authors: Kai, Dan, Tan, Mein Jin, Prabhakaran, Molamma P., Chan, Benjamin Qi Yu, Liow, Sing Shy, Ramakrishna, Seeram, Loh, Xian Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4D scaffolds; Animals; Biocompatibility; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Carbon black; Cell Communication; Dimethylpolysiloxanes - chemistry; Electric Conductivity; Electrical resistivity; Electroactive materials; Electrochemical Techniques - methods; Electrospinning; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nanofibers; Nanofibers - chemistry; Nanofibers - ultrastructure; Nerve Regeneration; PC12 Cells; Polyesters - chemistry; Polyurethanes - chemistry; Porosity; Rats; Scaffolds; Segments; Shape memory; Silicone resins; Soot - chemistry; Temperature; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.09.035

Poly(PCL/PDMS urethane)/carbon-black nanofibers with shape memory properties and electrical conductivity could be potentially used as smart 4-demonsional (4D) scaffolds for nerve tissue regeneration. [Display omitted] •Electrically conductive nanofibers composed of poly(PCL/PDMS urethane) and carbon were engineered by electrospinning.•Poly(PCL/PDMS urethane)/carbon nanofibers possess good conductivity and decent shape memory properties.•The shape memory nanofibers showed good biocompatibility by promoting cell-cell interactions and communications.•The poly(PCL/PDMS urethane)/carbon nanofibers could be potentially used as 4D scaffolds for nerve tissue regeneration. A porous shape memory scaffold with both biomimetic structures and electrical conductivity properties is highly promising for nerve tissue engineering applications. In this study, a new shape memory polyurethane polymer which consists of inorganic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) segments with organic poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) segments was synthesized. Based on this poly(PCL/PDMS urethane), a series of electrically conductive nanofibers were electrospun by incorporating different amounts of carbon-black. Our results showed that after adding carbon black into nanofibers, the fiber diameters increased from 399±76 to 619±138nm, the crystallinity decreased from 33 to 25% and the resistivity reduced from 3.6 GΩ/mm to 1.8 kΩ/mm. Carbon black did not significantly influence the shape memory properties of the resulting nanofibers, and all the composite nanofibers exhibited decent shape recovery ratios of >90% and shape fixity ratios of >82% even after 5 thermo-mechanical cycles. PC12 cells were cultured on the shape memory nanofibers and the composite scaffolds showed good biocompatibility by promoting cell-cell interactions. Our study demonstrated that the poly(PCL/PDMS urethane)/carbon-black nanofibers with shape memory properties could be potentially used as smart 4-dimensional (4D) scaffolds for nerve tissue regeneration.