Publicação
Free-standing multilayered membranes based on graphene and natural polymers for biomedical applications
| Resumo: | In several biomedical applications, one of the major disadvantages of natural polymers is their low mechanical performances. Such drawback has led scientists to search for new materials capable to improve their mechanical properties. In the last few years, graphene and graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite materials have been proposed to be used in different applications due their outstanding mechanical and electrical properties. We hypothesized that the incorporation of such materials could be useful for biomedical applications. To achieve this goal, we transpose the layerby- layer technology for the production of nanostructured free-standing (FS) polymeric membranes that have such nanofillers in their composition. To this end, chitosan (CHI, polycation) and alginate (ALG, polyanion) were used as a biopolymeric matrix and GO (polyanion) as a reinforcement nanofiller. Prior to FS membranes production, different GO were synthetized, using a modified Hummers' method, from two diferente materials: exfoliated graphite and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, resulting in oxidized graphene flakes (o-GF) and graphene nanoribbons (o-GNR), respectively. Such oxidation process provided oxygen functional groups that among other features improve the bonding with biopolymers. Three membranes were developed, (CHI/ALG/CHI/ALG)100 that acted as controls, while (CHI/ALG/CHI/o-GF)100 and (CHI/ALG/CHI/o-GNR)100 were built up as proof of concept. The morphological analysis was performed by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microcopy and Raman mapping. The physical properties were assessed by thermogravimetric analysis, water contact angle measurements, water uptake and weight loss. Tensile tests and dynamic mechanical analysis were employed to test the mechanical behavior of the FS membranes. Moreover, biological assays using L929 mouse fibroblasts line were executed to investigate their cytocompablity. Our results showed that the addition of both o-GF and o-GNR forms improved the mechanical properties however with no significant changes on the thermal properties. At the same time, the FS membranes presented a rough surface and an hydrophilic behavior. Concerning the cellular assays, the FS membranes with o-GF revealed a better promotion of cell adhesion and proliferation than both controls and o-GNR FS membranes. The outcomes of this thesis suggests that o-GF membranes may have potential for wound healing, cardiac and bone applications. |
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| Autores principais: | Moura, Duarte Alexandre Campos Serra |
| Ano: | 2015 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Minho |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho |
| Resumo: | In several biomedical applications, one of the major disadvantages of natural polymers is their low mechanical performances. Such drawback has led scientists to search for new materials capable to improve their mechanical properties. In the last few years, graphene and graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite materials have been proposed to be used in different applications due their outstanding mechanical and electrical properties. We hypothesized that the incorporation of such materials could be useful for biomedical applications. To achieve this goal, we transpose the layerby- layer technology for the production of nanostructured free-standing (FS) polymeric membranes that have such nanofillers in their composition. To this end, chitosan (CHI, polycation) and alginate (ALG, polyanion) were used as a biopolymeric matrix and GO (polyanion) as a reinforcement nanofiller. Prior to FS membranes production, different GO were synthetized, using a modified Hummers' method, from two diferente materials: exfoliated graphite and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, resulting in oxidized graphene flakes (o-GF) and graphene nanoribbons (o-GNR), respectively. Such oxidation process provided oxygen functional groups that among other features improve the bonding with biopolymers. Three membranes were developed, (CHI/ALG/CHI/ALG)100 that acted as controls, while (CHI/ALG/CHI/o-GF)100 and (CHI/ALG/CHI/o-GNR)100 were built up as proof of concept. The morphological analysis was performed by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microcopy and Raman mapping. The physical properties were assessed by thermogravimetric analysis, water contact angle measurements, water uptake and weight loss. Tensile tests and dynamic mechanical analysis were employed to test the mechanical behavior of the FS membranes. Moreover, biological assays using L929 mouse fibroblasts line were executed to investigate their cytocompablity. Our results showed that the addition of both o-GF and o-GNR forms improved the mechanical properties however with no significant changes on the thermal properties. At the same time, the FS membranes presented a rough surface and an hydrophilic behavior. Concerning the cellular assays, the FS membranes with o-GF revealed a better promotion of cell adhesion and proliferation than both controls and o-GNR FS membranes. The outcomes of this thesis suggests that o-GF membranes may have potential for wound healing, cardiac and bone applications. |
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