Electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds of ε-polycaprolactone containing graphene oxide and encapsulated with magnetite nanoparticles for wound healing utilizations

Abstract

Wound healing treatment with a nanofibrous matrix is a serious demand to avoid associated complications, including bacterial infections. Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) were encapsulated into electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds of ε -polycaprolactone (PCL) containing graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. The structural and morphological behaviors of the obtained scaffolds were investigated. The modification of nanofibers via the addition of MNPs generated a slight change of morphology, whereas the fibers’ diameters were around 0.2–0.5, 0.1–0.3, 0.1–0.2, and 0.1–0.3 μ m for 0.0NPs-GO@PCL, 0.1NPs-GO@PCL, 0.2NPs-GO@PCL, and 0.3NPs-GO@PCL, respectively. Moreover, the roughness average (Ra) increased from 119 nm to be about 169 nm from the lowest and the highest contributions of MNPs. The Human fibroblasts cell line (HFB4) reached around 98.4 ± 3.1% cell viability for 0.2MNPs-GO@PCL composition. The antibacterial activity of the highest contribution of MNPs reached about 11.4 ± 1.6 mm and 12.3 ± 1.2 mm against S. aureus and E. coli , respectively. The in-vitro cells’ attachment of HFB4 showed that cells were adhered to and proliferated through the nanofibrous scaffolds. Cells also spread and grew significantly as the modification via MNPs. Thus, indicating that designing of new scaffold for wound healing and disinfection utilization could be reached via tailoring of electrospun products encapsulating with biocompatible substances such as graphene oxide and magnetite.

Keywords

• nanofibers
• graphene
• wound healing
• roughness
• HFB4