Mimicking the periosteum with dual function based on Au-coated PVDF electrospun membrane for guided bone regeneration: physical, electrical, and in vitro testing

A dual-functional material was fabricated to mimic the periosteum for guided bone regeneration. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was fabricated into a gold-coated electrospun membrane. The gold-coated PVDF membranes were observed and characterized for their morphology and structural formation using light microscopy and differential calorimetry, respectively. Hydrophilicity, mechanical behavior, and electrical properties were evaluated from the results of the contact angle, universal testing machine, and an inductance-capacitance-resistance meter, respectively. MC3T3E1 osteoblast cells were seeded onto PVDF membranes with and without the gold coating. The cells on the seeded membranes were cultured under either a non-dynamic condition or a dynamic condition by shaking at 100 rpm (1.67 Hz). In vitro testing was performed to evaluate the biological performance (cell proliferation and viability), protein analysis, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and calcium content. PVDF with the gold coating had a higher melting temperature, hydrophilicity, and dielectric constant than without the gold coating. The gold-coated PVDF membranes showed a lower Young's modulus than the uncoated PVDF membranes. The seeded gold-coated and uncoated PVDF membranes under the dynamic condition had higher cell proliferation, viability, protein amount, ALP activity, calcium content, and calcium deposition than the PVDF membrane without either the gold coating or under the dynamic condition. Finally, the results deduced that the gold-coated PVDF membranes were able to mimic the periosteum with a dual function and showed promise for guided bone regeneration.