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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Investigating the Effect of Carbon Nanomaterials

Reinforcing Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Printed Scaffolds for

Bone Repair Applications

Yanhao Hou, Weiguang Wang*, Paulo Bártolo

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering,
The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

Abstract: Scaffolds, three-dimensional (3D) substrates providing appropriate mechanical support and biological environments
for new tissue formation, are the most common approaches in tissue engineering. To improve scaffold properties such as
mechanical properties, surface characteristics, biocompatibility and biodegradability, different types of fillers have been used
reinforcing biocompatible and biodegradable polymers. This paper investigates and compares the mechanical and biological
behaviors of 3D printed poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds reinforced with graphene (G) and graphene oxide (GO) at different
concentrations. Results show that contrary to G which improves mechanical properties and enhances cell attachment and
proliferation, GO seems to show some cytotoxicity, particular at high contents.

Keywords: Biomanufacturing, Graphene, Graphene oxide, Poly(ε-caprolactone), Scaffolds, Tissue engineering

*Corresponding Author: Weiguang Wang, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; weiguang.wang@manchester.ac.uk

Received: March 10, 2020; Accepted: April 01, 2020; Published Online: April 21, 2020
Citation: Hou Y, Wang W, Bartolo P, 2020, Investigating the Effect of Carbon Nanomaterials Reinforcing Poly(ε-Caprolactone)
Printed Scaffolds for Bone Repair Applications, Int J Bioprint, 6(2):266. DOI: 10.18063/ijb.v6i2.266

1 Introduction biodegradable porous physical substrates for
cells to attach, proliferate, and differentiate [1-3] .
Large scale bone defects caused by bone cancer They must have adequate mechanical properties,
surgeries, accidents, injuries, infections and geometry and morphology, surface characteristics
chronic health conditions, represent relevant and must be easily sterilized . Their capacity
[4]
clinical problems. Due to the limited regenerative to stimulate cells is also another important
capabilities of bone, current clinical therapies, in requirement. Due to the piezoelectric and reverse
most cases based on the use of biological grafts, piezoelectric nature of bone, electrical signals
are not effective. Scaffold-based bone tissue are critical physiological stimuli that strongly
engineering is an alternative approach with potential affect cell behavior controlling cell migration,
to overcome major limitations of biological grafts adhesion, differentiation, DNA synthesis, and
such as pain and morbidity in donor sites, limited protein secretion . A wide range of polymers
[5]
quantity and availability, deep infection and (e.g., poly(glycolic acid), poly(lactic acid),
hematoma risk (autografting), rejection, diseases poly(ε-caprolactone) [PCL], and poly(lactide-co-
transmission, limited supply (allografting), glycolide)), ceramic materials (e.g., hydroxyapatite
and ethical problems (xenografting). Scaffolds [HA] and β-tricalcium phosphate [TCP]), and
are three-dimensional (3D) biocompatible and composites have been used to produce bone

© 2020 Hou, et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
work is properly cited.
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