title: Nanomechanical properties of electrospun composite scaffolds based on polycaprolactone and hydroxyapatite.
abstract: Fibrous nanocomposite scaffolds were electrospun from dispersions of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nanoHA) in polycaprolactone (PCL) with varying nanoHA contents (from 0% to 50% by weight). Such scaffolds were produced to mimic the nano-features of the extracellular matrix (ECM) for natural bone tissue regeneration. NanoHA was found to be well dispersed in the PCL fibers up to the addition of 30 wt%, whereas beads and agglomeration of HA particles was observed above this nanoHA concentration. The structural and morphological characterizations were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The average fiber diameter decreased with increased nanoHA concentration. The nanomechanical properties of the as-spun fibrous scaffolds as well as pressure-consolidated (pelletized) composites were evaluated by nanoindentation. Elastic modulus increased with increasing HA content, but was especially pronounced for 40-50% HA content where the indenter tip is more likely to probe agglomerated HA particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration (CNMB), University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), AL 35294-1170, USA.
authors.forename: Parul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tyagi
authors.forename: Shane A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Catledge
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stanishevsky
authors.forename: Vinoy
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Vohra