Polyaniline-based scaffolds: synthesis, fabrication, and biomedical applications: A comprehensive review

Polyaniline, a conducting polymer with unique electrical, chemical, and biological properties, has emerged as a promising material for scaffold applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This comprehensive review examines the current state of polyaniline-based scaffolds, covering synthesis methods, fundamental properties, fabrication techniques, biomedical applications, and future perspectives. The review synthesizes findings from over 100 recent publications to provide insights into the potential of polyaniline scaffolds for various tissue engineering applications, including cardiac, neural, bone, and muscle tissue regeneration. Key challenges such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical properties are critically assessed, along with recent advances in addressing these limitations through composite materials and novel fabrication approaches. The multimodal utility of polyaniline in biomedical applications, ranging from tissue engineering to biosensing and drug delivery, demonstrates its versatility as a biomaterial. Recent progress in synthesis and applications of polyaniline-coated nanocomposites has opened new possibilities for advanced scaffold designs. This review aims to provide researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive understanding of polyaniline scaffold technology and its potential for clinical translation, based on analysis of current literature spanning fundamental research to clinical applications.