Electrospun Polycaprolactone/lignin-based Nanocomposite as a Novel Tissue Scaffold for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Biopolymer scaffolds have received great interest in academic and industrial environment
because of their supreme characteristics like biological, mechanical, chemical, and cost saving in the
biomedical science. There are various attempts for incorporation of biopolymers with cheap natural
micro- or nanoparticles like lignin (Lig), alginate, and gums to prepare new materials with enhanced
properties. Materials and Methods: In this work, the electrospinning (ELS) technique as a promising
cost-effective method for producing polymeric scaffold fibers was used, which mimics extracellular
matrix structure for soft tissue engineering applications. Nanocomposites of Lig and polycaprolactone
(PCL) scaffold produced with ELS technique. Nanocomposite containings (0, 5, 10, and 15 wt.%) of Lig
were prepared with addition of Lig powder into the PCL solution while stirring at the room temperature.
The bioactivity, swelling properties, morphological and mechanical tests were conducted for all the
samples to investigate the nanocomposite scaffold features. Results: The results showed that scaffold
with 10 wt.% Lig have appropriate porosity, biodegradation, minimum fiber diameter, optimum pore
size as well as enhanced tensile strength, and young modulus compared with pure PCL. Degradation test
performed through immersion of samples in the phosphate-buffer saline showed that degradation of PCL
nanocomposites could accelerate up to 10% due to the addition of Lig. Conclusions: Electrospun PCLLig scaffold enhanced the biological response of the cells with the mechanical signals. The prepared
nanocomposite scaffold can choose for potential candidate in the biomedical science