Carbon nanotubes reinforced chitosan films: mechanical properties and cell response of a novel biomaterial for cardiovascular tissue engineering

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes have been proposed as fillers to reinforce polymeric biomaterials for the strengthening of their structural integrity to achieve better biomechanical properties. In this study, a new polymeric composite material was introduced by incorporating various low concentrations of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into chitosan (CS), aiming at achieving a novel composite biomaterial with superior mechanical and biological properties compared to neat CS, in order to be used in cardiovascular tissue engineering applications. Both mechanical and biological characteristics in contact with the two relevant cell types (endothelial cells and vascular myofibroblasts) were studied. Regarding the mechanical behavior of MWCNT reinforced CS (MWCNT/CS), 5 and 10 % concentrations of MWCNTs enhanced the mechanical behavior of CS, with that of 5 % exhibiting a superior mechanical strength compared to 10 % concentration and neat CS. Regarding biological properties, MWCNT/CS best supported proliferation of endothelial and myofibroblast cells, MWCNTs and MWCNT/CS caused no apoptosis and were not toxic of the examined cell types. Conclusively, the new material could be suitable for tissue engineering (TE) and particularly for cardiovascular TE applications.

Swelling behavior and chemical stability of chitosan/nanocellulose biocomposites

“…To determine the chemical stability, Cs biocomposites were dipped into an acidic medium (sulfuric acid [H 2 SO 4 ] and formic acid [HCOOH]), basic (potassium hydroxide [KOH) and hydroxylamine [NH 2 OH]), polar solvents (water [H 2 O), and methanol [CH 3 OH]), nonpolar solvents (n‐Hexane [C 6 H 14 ) and chloroform [CHCl 3 ]) and aprotic solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO, C 2 H 6 OS) and THF [C 4 H 8 O]). Normally, the chemical stability of Cs biocomposites is distinguished by its solubility and changes in the solvent color from colorless to yellow‐brownness . However, in this study, the stability of Cs/nanocellulose biocomposites film was monitored by measuring the mass loss of Cs/nanocellulose biocomposites after dipping and stirring processes for 24 h in a specific solvent medium at 28°C (Fig.…”

“…Several efforts have been done to improve its chemical stability by reinforcing Cs. Kroustalli et al used multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on Cs biocomposites to improve its structural stability and properties. They reported that Cs biocomposites strengthened its structural stabilty with the addition of MWCNTs.…”

Carbon Fibers

“…That is, carbon nanotubes are seriously considered as the active elements for logic circuits, possibly replacing silicon [39][40][41]. There is also an enormous effort focused on using nanotubes to strengthen composite materials [42][43][44]. Currently there is widespread interest in employing graphene in supercapacitors due to its high surface area [32,45].…”

Chitosan/MWCNTs composite as bone substitute: Physical, mechanical, bioactivity, and biodegradation evaluation

“…The improvement in the tensile strength and modulus were ascribed to the uniform dispersion of MWCNTs covalently linked to the CS matrix. Kroustalli et al evaluated the mechanical properties and cell response of CNTs reinforced chitosan films. In their research, a new polymeric composite material was prepared by incorporating various low concentrations of MWCNTs into CS, with the purpose of achieving a novel composite biomaterial with far superior mechanical and biological properties compared with pure CS, in order to be used in cardiovascular tissue engineering applications.…”