Boron nitride nanotubes enhance properties of chitosan-based scaffolds

Melis Emanet, Emine Kazanç, Zehra Çobandede, Mustafa Çulha

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

With their low toxicity, high mechanical strength and chemical stability, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are good candidates to enhance the properties of polymers, composites and scaffolds. Chitosan-based scaffolds are exhaustively investigated in tissue engineering because of their biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity. However, their spontaneous degradation prevents their use in a range of tissue engineering applications. In this study, hydroxylated BNNTs (BNNT-OH) were included into a chitosan scaffold and tested for their mechanical strength, swelling behavior and biodegradability. The results show that inclusion of BNNTs-OH into the chitosan scaffold increases the mechanical strength and pore size at values optimal for high cellular proliferation and adhesion. The chitosan/BNNT-OH scaffold was also found to be non-toxic to Human Dermal Fibroblast (HDF) cells due to its slow degradation rate. HDF cell proliferation and adhesion were increased as compared to the chitosan-only scaffold as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescent microscopy images.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)313-320
Number of pages8
JournalCarbohydrate Polymers
Volume151
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 20 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cell adhesion
  • Chitosan
  • Hydroxylated boron nitride nanotubes
  • Mechanical strength
  • Scaffolds

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Materials Chemistry

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