Hybrid Polymeric Scaffolds Prepared by Micro and Macro Approaches

Abstract

Polymeric scaffolds with complex porous structures were fabricated with two different polymers by combining three fabrication methods in three steps, in which, nonwoven poly(e-caprolactone) microfibers were obtained with electrospinning and immersed in solvent cast chitosan solution poured in Petri dish to fabricate hybrid polymers, and finally the combined structure was freeze-dried with two different predrying techniques to obtain macropores in the structure. The resulting hybrid polymeric mats were found to have both microfibers and macroporosity due to the electrospinning as well as freeze-drying processes, which resemble the natural extracellular matrix. The optimized scaffolds that predried in the incubator at 40 degrees C for 5 h and then freeze-dried for 24 h exhibited contact angle value of 68.93 +/- 2.18 degrees with 3.252 +/- 0.783 MPa Young's modulus and 0.260 +/- 0.002 MPa yield strength as well as 1.35-fold cell yield in MRC5 fibroblast cell culture, compared to the commercial tissue culture polystyrene. [GRAPHICS] .