Premium
Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐3‐hydroxyvalerate)/poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) blends for tissue engineering applications in the form of hollow fibers
Author(s) -
Chiono Valeria,
Ciardelli Gianluca,
Vozzi Giovanni,
Sotgiu Maria Giulia,
Vinci Bruna,
Domenici Claudio,
Giusti Paolo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1552-4965
pISSN - 1549-3296
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.a.31513
Subject(s) - materials science , differential scanning calorimetry , caprolactone , scanning electron microscope , composite material , biocompatibility , porosity , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , polymer blend , polymer , polycaprolactone , optical microscope , chemical engineering , copolymer , physics , metallurgy , engineering , thermodynamics
In this work, hollow fibers to be used as guides for tissue engineering applications were produced by dry‐jet‐wet spinning of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐3‐hydroxyvalerate)/poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PHBHV/PCL) solutions in chloroform with various weight ratios between the components (PHBHV/PCL 100/0; 80/20; 60/40; 50/50; 40/60; 20/80; 0/100 w/w). Fibers obtained from PHBHV/PCL blends had a low degree of surface and bulk porosity, depending on composition. Physicochemical characterization involving scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that PHBHV/PCL blends are compatible. Interactions between blend components were studied by Fourier transform infrared total reflectance spectroscopy, DSC analysis, and polarized optical microscopy analysis. Homogeneity of blend composition was assessed by IR‐chemical imaging analysis. PHBHV/PCL samples were found to be weakly hydrophilic and their biocompatibility was proved by in vitro tests using mouse fibroblasts. Mechanical properties of PHBHV/PCL blends were investigated by stress–strain tests, showing an increasing ductility of blend samples with increasing PCL amount. Hollow fibers supported fibroblasts attachment and proliferation depending on composition and porosity degree. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2008