One-Step Fabrication of Biocompatible Multifaceted Nanocomposite Gels and Nanolayers
Date
2017Source Title
Biomacromolecules
Print ISSN
1525-7797
Electronic ISSN
1526-4602
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Volume
18
Issue
2
Pages
386 - 397
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
Nanocomposite gels are a fascinating class of polymeric materials with an integrative assembly of organic molecules and organic/inorganic nanoparticles, offering a unique hybrid network with synergistic properties. The mechanical properties of such networks are similar to those of natural tissues, which make them ideal biomaterial candidates for tissue engineering applications. Existing nanocomposite gel systems, however, lack many desirable gel properties, and their suitability for surface coatings is often limited. To address this issue, this article aims at generating multifunctional nanocomposite gels that are injectable with an appropriate time window, functional with bicyclononynes (BCN), biocompatible and slowly degradable, and possess high mechanical strength. Further, the in situ network-forming property of the proposed system allows the fabrication of ultrathin nanocomposite coatings in the submicrometer range with tunable wettability and roughness. Multifunctional nanocomposite gels were fabricated under cytocompatible conditions (pH 7.4 and T = 37 °C) using laponite clays, isocyanate (NCO)-terminated sP(EO-stat-PO) macromers, and clickable BCN. Several characterization techniques were employed to elucidate the structure-property relationships of the gels. Even though the NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO) macromers could form a hydrogel network in situ on contact with water, the incorporation of laponite led to significant improvement of the mechanical properties. BCN motifs with carbamate links were used for a metal-free click ligation with azide-functional molecules, and the subsequent gradual release of the tethered molecules through the hydrolysis of carbamate bonds was shown. The biocompatibility of the hydrogels was examined through murine macrophages, showing that the material composition strongly affects cell behavior.
Keywords
BiocompatibilityBiomechanics
Characterization
Coatings
Fabrication
Gels
Hybrid materials
Mechanical properties
Molecules
Tissue
Tissue engineering
Characterization techniques
High mechanical strength
Material compositions
Multifunctional nanocomposites
Nano-composite coating
Structure property relationships
Synergistic properties
Tissue engineering applications
Animals
Biocompatible materials
Cell adhesion
Cells cultured
Hydrogels
Macrophages
Mice
Nanocomposites
Polymers