Engineering of electrically-conductive poly(ε-caprolactone)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite nanofibers for tissue engineering applications

In this communication, air jet spinning (AJS) was used to successfully fabricate nanofibers of poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) onto which Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) were loaded at 0.5 to 1.0 wt % using a cost-effective fabrication technique. SEM images indicated that the incorporation of MWCNTs resulted in the production of larger fiber sizes with a more uniform size distribution than plain PCL. TEM observation showed the MWCNTs were parallel and oriented along the axes of the nanofibers. Specific interfacial interactions between the PCL and the MWCNTs enhanced the mechanical properties of the nanofibers in terms of tensile modulus and tensile strength. The electrical conductivity improved at the higher (1.0%) MWCNT concentration, alongside improved hydrophilicity, demonstrated through decreases in contact angle measurements. Moreover, in vitro studies with human bone osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2) revealed that MWCNT scaffolds displayed desired cell attachment and spreading. These high performance MWCNT-PCL nanocomposite fiber mats have been demonstrated as good candidates for modem microelectronics and tissue engineering applications.