Development of King Cobia Collagen/hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose/polyvinyl Alcohol-Based Carbon Scaffolds for Potential Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Abstract

Tissue engineering technology has been developed for bone damage solutions by applying biomaterial-based scaffolds, possessing good biocompatibility and mechanical properties. The use of polymeric biomaterials together with conductive carbon biomaterials can be considered as a potential candidate to increase the mechanical strength and other physicochemical properties of the scaffold. In this research, bone scaffolds were developed using collagen extracted from king cobia fish, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), with the addition of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) materials. The scaffolds were fabricated using freeze-drying and physicochemically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, mechanical properties, wettability, porosity, swelling, and degradation rate. The findings indicated that the scaffolds were porous and had interconnected structures with a mechanical strength of about 9 MPa, which is compatible with trabecular bone. The scaffolds also had a high porosity of up to 90%, high swelling up to 300%, and a degradation rate with a mass loss of less than 20% in 28 days. The scaffolds exhibited hydrophilic properties with a water contact angle of less than 90^o. The conductivity characteristics of the scaffolds were evaluated through electrochemical measurements using cyclic voltammetry (CV), resulting in conductive scaffolds characterized by the formation of redox peaks. These results suggest that the fabricated scaffold could be a potential candidate in bone tissue engineering applications.