Synthesis and characterization of porous, electro-conductive chitosan-gelatin-agar-based PEDOT: PSS scaffolds for potential use in tissue engineering
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2021
Abstract
Herein we report the synthesis and characterization of electro-conductive chitosan-gelatin-agar (Cs-Gel-Agar) based PEDOT: PSS hydrogels for tissue engineering. Cs-Gel-Agar porous hydrogels with 0-2.0% (v/v) PEDOT: PSS were fabricated using a thermal reverse casting method where low melting agarose served as the pore template. Sample characterizations were performed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Our results showed enhanced electrical conductivity of the cs-gel-agar hydrogels when mixed with DMSO-doped PEDOT: PSS wherein the optimum mixing ratio was observed at 1% (v/v) with a conductivity value of 3.35 x 10(-4) S cm(-1). However, increasing the PEDOT: PSS content up to 1.5 % (v/v) resulted in reduced conductivity to 3.28 x 10(-4) S cm(-1). We conducted in vitro stability tests on the porous hydrogels using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution and investigated the hydrogels' performances through physical observations and ATR-FTIR characterization. The present study provides promising preliminary data on the potential use of Cs-Gel-Agar-based PEDOT: PSS hydrogel for tissue engineering, and these, hence, warrant further investigation to assess their capability as biocompatible scaffolds.
Keywords
Chitosan, PEDOT, PSS, Scaffold, Electrical conductivity, Tissue engineering
Divisions
Science
Funders
University Teknologi MARA Malaysia[600-RMC/GPK 5/3 (177/2020)]
Publication Title
Polymers
Volume
13
Issue
17
Publisher
MDPI
Publisher Location
ST ALBAN-ANLAGE 66, CH-4052 BASEL, SWITZERLAND