Surface modification of polycaprolactone nanofibers through hydrolysis and aminolysis: a comparative study on structural characteristics, mechanical properties, and cellular performance

Abstract

Hydrolysis and aminolysis are two main commonly used chemical methods for surface modification of hydrophobic tissue engineering scaffolds. The type of chemical reagents along with the concentration and treatment time are main factors that determine the effects of these methods on biomaterials. In the present study, electrospun poly (ℇ-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers were modified through hydrolysis and aminolysis. The applied chemical solutions for hydrolysis and aminolysis were NaOH (0.5–2 M) and hexamethylenediamine/isopropanol (HMD/IPA, 0.5–2 M) correspondingly. Three distinct incubation time points were predetermined for the hydrolysis and aminolysis treatments. According to the scanning electron microscopy results, morphological changes emerged only in the higher concentrations of hydrolysis solution (1 M and 2 M) and prolonged treatment duration (6 and 12 h). In contrast, aminolysis treatments induced slight changes in the morphological features of the electrospun PCL nanofibers. Even though surface hydrophilicity of PCL nanofibers was noticeably improved through the both methods, the resultant influence of hydrolysis was comparatively more considerable. As a general trend, both hydrolysis and aminolysis resulted in a moderate decline in the mechanical performance of PCL samples. Energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis indicated elemental changes after the hydrolysis and aminolysis treatments. However, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and infrared spectroscopy results did not show noticeable alterations subsequent to the treatments. The fibroblast cells were well spread and exhibited a spindle-like shape on the both treated groups. Furthermore, according to the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the surface treatment procedures ameliorated proliferative properties of PCL nanofibers. These findings represented that the modified PCL nanofibrous samples by hydrolysis and aminolysis treatments can be considered as the potentially favorable candidates for tissue engineering applications.

Development of progesterone electrospun nanofibers to coat Arabin pessaries as a dual preventive and therapeutic approach for preterm labor

“…No observed drug crystals have been detected on the outer surfaces of progesterone-loaded nanofibers. All mentioned morphological properties confirmed the successful fabrication and preparation of fibers which is consistent with previous PCL nanofiber systems ( Yaseri et al, 2023 ).…”

Biodegradable Local Chemotherapy Platform with Prolonged and Controlled Release of Doxorubicin for the Prevention of Local Tumor Recurrence

“…Aminolysis is one of the most widely used chemical methods for the surface modification of hydrophobic polymers due to its simplicity and availability. 29 The mechanism of aminolysis involves breaking ester bonds and forming amide bonds, −NH 2 and −OH groups. 30 The "glass" surface was chosen for aminolysis because it had the smallest wetting angle.…”

Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Janus Nanofibers Containing Compound K for Cartilage Regeneration

“… 34 In addition, hydrolysis and aminolysis of PCL NFs also reduce the water contact angles of NFs that can significantly enhance the cell attachments with increased cell viability. 27 Furthermore, the immobilization of carboxymethyl cellulose on the surface of PCL NFs enhances the osteochondral inductivity resulting in the induced osteochondral differentiations. 38 …”

“…24 However, PCL-based nanofibers often require external agents for the tissue engineering because of their intrinsic surface properties of hydrophobic nature and poor interactions with biomolecules and cells. [25][26][27][28][29] To address this, co-electrospinning of hydrophilic polymers or physical/chemical modifications of PCL NFs can be used to increase hydrophilicity and bioactivity. 27,[30][31][32] For instance, co-electrospun nanofibrous biomaterials and the immobilization of biomolecules (ie, poly(glycerol sebacate), gelatin-chondroitin sulfate, alginate, chondroitin sulfates, and hyaluronic acid) help improve the cartilage tissue engineering.…”