Viscoelasticity, Mechanical Properties, and In Vitro Bioactivity of Gelatin/Borosilicate Bioactive Glass Nanocomposite Hydrogels as Potential Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 13; no. 12; p. 2014
• Main Authors: Abd El-Aziz, Asmaa M., Abd El-Fattah, Ahmed, El-Maghraby, Azza, Ghareeb, Doaa A., Kandil, Sherif
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 20-06-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Apatite; Biodegradability; Bioglass; Biological activity; Biomedical materials; Blood & organ donations; Body fluids; bone regeneration; Bones; borosilicate bioactive glass; Borosilicate glass; Chemicals; composite scaffold; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Crosslinking; Disease transmission; Ethanol; Fourier transforms; Frequency ranges; Gelatin; hydrogel; Hydrogels; In vitro methods and tests; Loss modulus; Mechanical properties; Modulus of elasticity; Morphology; Nanocomposites; Nitrates; Older people; Polymers; Regeneration (physiology); Scaffolds; Scanning electron microscopy; Spectrum analysis; Storage modulus; Tissue engineering; Transplants & implants; Viscoelasticity; Water absorption; United States > US; Japan; Germany
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym13122014

Chemical cross-linking was used to create nanocomposite hydrogels made up of gelatin (G) and borosilicate bioactive glass (BBG) with different content (0, 3, and 5 wt.%). The G/BBG nanocomposite hydrogels were studied for their morphology, mechanical properties, and viscoelasticity. SEM images revealed a macroporous interconnected structure with particles scattered across the pore walls. Studies of water absorption and degradation confirmed that the nanocomposite scaffolds were hydrophilic and biodegradable. The addition of 5% BBG to the scaffold formulations increased the compressive modulus by 413% and the compressive intensity by 20%, respectively. At all frequency ranges tested, the storage modulus (G′) was greater than the loss modulus (G″), revealing a self-standing elastic nanocomposite hydrogel. The nanocomposite scaffolds facilitated apatite formation while immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF). According to the findings, G/BBG nanocomposite scaffolds could be a promising biomaterial for bone regeneration.