The distribution of electrospun polylactic acid in polycaprolactone matrix controlled by traction rate and its effect on the foamed porous tissue engineering scaffolds

Abstract

Polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix scaffolds have been extensively studied for tissue engineering applications, which were limited by poor cell adhesion and mechanical strength. Fiber reinforcement modification could be used to improve material properties and optimize material structure. In this study, polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun nanofibers were dispersed in PCL powder, and then the composites were extruded and blended at different traction speed. During the blending and extrusion process, the nanofibrous phase was uniformly dispersed in the matrix, and a kind of tissue engineering scaffold with high connectivity and network structure was prepared using supercritical carbon dioxide foaming. The effect of nanofibers on the foaming behavior of PCL matrix composites prepared at different traction rates was investigated, and the addition of nanofibers promoted the connectivity of the scaffold. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) culture results showed that the high-connectivity scaffold was biocompatible and could significantly promote the adhesion and growth of HUVECs. Therefore, fiberreinforced porous scaffolds have great application potential in the field of tissue engineering scaffolds.