Modification of polycaprolactone electrospun nanofibers with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in improving the properties of bone graft

Introduction: Electrospun nanofiber has become ideal bone scaffold due its nanostructured that mimicking native extracellular matrix (ECM). Polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber has been used widely for bone tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility and biodegradation properties, but with lack of bioactivity owing to its hydrophobicity. Eventhough hydroxyapatite (HA) is an important mineral with good hydrophilicity, fabrication of HA nanofiber is very challenging due to its brittleness. Therefore, by reinforcing HA with PCL, the distinct advantages from both biomaterials are synergized in improving the scaffold properties. Materials and Methods: This study focused on the fabrication of PCL nanofibers with HA nanoparticles by using an electrospinning technique. HA was incorporated into the PCL matrix at 0 wt.%, 0.25 wt.%, 0.50 wt.%, 0.75 wt.%, 1.00 wt.% and 2.00 wt.%. The electrospun nanofiber scaffolds were characterized by using various scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and water contact angle (WCA) to evaluate their morphological, chemical, and surface properties. Results: The results of EDX and FTIR show the presence of HA in the PCL/HA nanofibers. The addition of HA into PCL reduced the nanofiber's diameter and at the same time improved the hydrophilicity properties of the nanofibers. Conclusion: The most suitable formulation was PCL nanofibers with 0.75wt.% HA as it gave the desired nanofibers morphology, element composition and good wettability. Overall, the fabricated PCL/HA electrospun nanofiber scaffolds will hold great potential as biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, providing a favorable microenvironment for cell growth and bone regeneration