Preparation, characterization of Electrospun Polycaprolactone-nano Zinc oxide composite scaffolds for Osteogenic applications

Abstract Globally bone-grafting procedures are rapidly increasing every year in spite of the limited availability of autografts. Our hypothesis is that the electrospun nanofibers mimic the natural bone for enhanced bone regeneration. Electrospun scaffolds were prepared composed of Polycaprolactone (PCL) alone and PCL-nano Zinc Oxide (nZnO) composite. The nZnO is synthesized by a precipitation method. The scaffold fiber morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) while its composition by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), ATR-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Contact angle (CA) measurement. The scaffolds revealed a nano-porous architecture and incorporation of nZnO in the fibers. The fibers were randomly aligned and increased in diameter in the PCL-nZnO scaffold. Cell culture studies with MG63 cells shows increased proliferation on the PCL-nZnO scaffold. The study reveals that the PCL-nZnO electrospun scaffold provides a nano-porous environment for better cell adhesion and incorporated nZnO particles are osteogenic and can serve as a potential material for bone tissue regeneration.