title: Scaffolds based on hyaluronan and carbon nanotubes gels.
abstract: Physico-chemical and mechanical properties of hyaluronic acid/carbon nanotubes nanohybrids have been correlated with the proportion of inorganic nanophase and the preparation procedure. The mass fraction of -COOH functionalized carbon nanotubes was varied from 0 to 0.05. Hyaluronic acid was crosslinked with divinyl sulfone to improve its stability in aqueous media and allow its handling as a hydrogel. A series of samples was dried by lyophilization to obtain porous scaffolds whereas another was room-dried allowing the collapse of the hybrid structures. The porosity of the former, together with the tighter packing of hyaluronic acid chains, results in a lower water absorption and lower mechanical properties in the swollen state, because of the easier water diffusion. The presence of even a small amount of carbon nanotubes (mass fraction of 0.05) limits even more the swelling of the matrix, owing probably to hybrid interactions. These nanohybrids do not seem to degrade significantly during 14 days in water or enzymatic medium.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arnal-Pastor
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tallà Ferrer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herrero Herrero
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Gómez Aldaraví
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monleón Pradas
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain avalles@ter.upv.es.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallés-Lluch
mesh_terms: D065966:Absorption, Physicochemical; D019245:Compressive Strength; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004867:Equipment Design; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D058726:Nanoconjugates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D058608:Nanopores / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D016062:Porosity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D058726:Nanoconjugates; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D014867:Water; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: Hyaluronic acid; carbon nanotubes; lyophilization; nanohybrid; scaffold