PHBV-based nanostructured scaffolds produced by thermally induced self-agglomeration

Abstract

Nowadays, tissue engineering focuses on associating cells with scaffolds that are capable of leading to new tissue formation. Therefore, efforts have been made in an attempt to find the ideal morphology using numerous production techniques. Several types of materials are available, each with its own advantages and limitations. Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), PHBV, is a highly biocompatible, naturally occurring thermoplastic polyester, but has poor mechanical properties and low hydrophilicity. To overcome these limitations, several components in various morphologies have been added to the base matrix, such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and carbon nanotubes (CNT). Hybrid composites, consisting of the combination of two kinds of nanofillers, can increase the diversity of material applications. Therefore, the objective of this work is to develop a methodology for producing PHBV scaffolds using the thermally induced self-agglomeration (TISA) technique, and subsequently to produce CNC-reinforced PHBV scaffolds and CNC+CNT-reinforced PHBV hybrids. (AU)