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Biomedical Applications of Biodegradable Composites

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 11055

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Material Research Institute, Athlone Institute of Technology, Dublin Road, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, Ireland
Interests: polymer; polymer processing; smart manufacturing; tissue engineering; bone regeneration; composites; controlled release; thermoplastic composites; additive manufacturing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of biodegradable composites is increasing in the biomedical space. Composites, by their nature, impart the beneficial properties of the individual components while overcoming their limitations through the synergistic combination of distinctly different materials. However, the potential of biodegradable composites can only be achieved if there is intimate, uninterrupted contact between the reinforcement and matrix phases of the composite and in the case of nanocomposites exfoliation of the nanoparticles. This can, in itself, be difficult to achieve while retaining the biocompatibility of the final construct, as the matrix and reinforcement agent are generally not compatible. Approaches for this can include the following:

  • Surface treatment
  • Reactive extrusion
  • Process optimisation

Biodegradable composites can generally be processed using traditional manufacturing techniques but can also utilise emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing to produce final fabricated implants. These enable easy production scaling, which can expediate the uptake of these technologies.

Furthermore, while the biodegradable nature of these composites allows tissue to repair uninterred as the implant degrades, the biocompatibility of the degradation components must be given special consideration.

Nevertheless, these composites can be used to overcome shortfalls of traditional materials in a variety of applications such as:

  • Tissue engineering
  • Bone repair
  • Cardiovascular, urinary, and other stents
  • In-situ controlled release of active pharmaceutical ingredients

Dr. Declan Devine
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Biodegradable composites
  • surface treatment
  • nanoreinforcement
  • additive manufacturing
  • cytocompatibility

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 4682 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial PAA/PAH Electrospun Fiber Containing Green Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Wound Healing
by Marina Bandeira, Bor Shin Chee, Rafaele Frassini, Michael Nugent, Marcelo Giovanela, Mariana Roesch-Ely, Janaina da Silva Crespo and Declan M. Devine
Materials 2021, 14(11), 2889; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14112889 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4001
Abstract
Wound infections are the main complication when treating skin wounds. This work reports a novel antimicrobial material using green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) incorporated in polymeric fibers for wound healing purposes. ZnONPs are a promising antimicrobial nanomaterial with high activity against a [...] Read more.
Wound infections are the main complication when treating skin wounds. This work reports a novel antimicrobial material using green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) incorporated in polymeric fibers for wound healing purposes. ZnONPs are a promising antimicrobial nanomaterial with high activity against a range of microorganisms, including drug-resistant bacteria. The electrospun fibers were obtained using polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) and were loaded with ZnONPs green synthesized from Ilex paraguariensis leaves with a spherical shape and ~18 nm diameter size. The fibers were produced using the electrospinning technique and SEM images showed a uniform morphology with a diameter of ~230 nm. EDS analysis proved a consistent dispersion of Zn in the fiber mat, however, particle agglomerates with varying sizes were observed. FTIR spectra confirmed the interaction of PAA carboxylic groups with the amine of PAH molecules. Although ZnONPs presented higher antimicrobial activity against S. aureus than E. coli, resazurin viability assay revealed that the PAA/PAH/ZnONPs composite successfully inhibited both bacteria strains growth. Photomicrographs support these results where bacteria clusters were observed only in the control samples. The PAA/PAH/ZnONPs composite developed presents antimicrobial activity and mimics the extracellular matrix morphology of skin tissue, showing potential for wound healing treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Applications of Biodegradable Composites)
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14 pages, 3061 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Active Bioplastics Using Triangular Silver Nanoplate Integrated Polycaprolactone and Polylactic Acid Films
by Eduardo Lanzagorta Garcia, Olivia A. Attallah, Marija Mojicevic, Declan M Devine and Margaret Brennan Fournet
Materials 2021, 14(5), 1132; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14051132 - 28 Feb 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2811
Abstract
An innovative antimicrobial technology for plastic surfaces is presented. We report the synthesis and scale-up of triangular silver nanoplates (TSNPs) and their integration into polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) polymers through a solvent-casting technique. The TSNPs have a high geometric aspect ratio [...] Read more.
An innovative antimicrobial technology for plastic surfaces is presented. We report the synthesis and scale-up of triangular silver nanoplates (TSNPs) and their integration into polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA) polymers through a solvent-casting technique. The TSNPs have a high geometric aspect ratio and strong local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) response, which provides an effective tool for monitoring their integrity during processing and integration with the biodegradable plastics. An aqueous-based seed-mediated chemical method was used to synthesize the TSNPs, and characterisation was carried out using TEM and UV (Ultraviolet)-VIS (Visible) spectroscopy to measure LSPR profiles. The UV-VIS spectra of silver seeds and TSNPs exhibited characteristic peaks at 395 and 600 nm respectively. Synthesized TSNPs were coated with thiol-terminated polyethylene glycol (SH-PEG) and transferred into chloroform in order to effect compatibility with PCL and PLA. TSNP/PCL and TSNP/PLA composite films were prepared by solvent casting. The morphological structure, thermal, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties of the TSNP-incorporated composite films were evaluated. Results showed the TSNP-treated films had a rougher surface than the bare films. Insignificant changes in the thermal properties of TSNP-treated films compared to bare ones were also observed, which indicated the thermal stability of the composite films. The tensile strength and antimicrobial properties of the composite films were increased after TSNP incorporation. TSNP/PCL and TSNP/PLA films exhibited improved antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with antimicrobial effect (AE) values ranging between 0.10 and 0.35. The obtained results and demonstrated TSNP production scalability validate the TSNP treated PCL and PLA films as a composite material with desirable antimicrobial effect for wide-ranging surface applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Applications of Biodegradable Composites)
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16 pages, 10216 KiB  
Article
Faster Release of Lumen-Loaded Drugs than Matrix-Loaded Equivalent in Polylactic Acid/Halloysite Nanotubes
by Chaitra Venkatesh, Oran Clear, Ian Major, John G. Lyons and Declan M. Devine
Materials 2019, 12(11), 1830; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12111830 - 5 Jun 2019
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3279
Abstract
Nanocomposite-based drug delivery systems with intrinsic controlled release properties are of great interest in biomedical applications. We report a novel polylactic acid (PLA)/halloysite nanotube (HNT) nanocomposite-based drug delivery system. PLA/HNT nanocomposites have shown immense potential for use in biomedical applications due to their [...] Read more.
Nanocomposite-based drug delivery systems with intrinsic controlled release properties are of great interest in biomedical applications. We report a novel polylactic acid (PLA)/halloysite nanotube (HNT) nanocomposite-based drug delivery system. PLA/HNT nanocomposites have shown immense potential for use in biomedical applications due to their favorable cyto- and hemo-compatibility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the release of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) from PLA/HNT composites matrix and the effect of preloading the API into the lumen of the HNT on its release profile. Aspirin was used in this study as a model drug as it is a common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet agent widely used for various medical conditions. These two types of drug-loaded PLA/HNT nanocomposites were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), surface wettability and mechanical testing. Statistical analysis was conducted on numerical data. Drug entrapment and in vitro drug release studies were conducted using UV spectrophotometry. Results indicate that aspirin was successfully loaded into the lumen of HNT, which resulted in the sustained release of aspirin from the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the addition of HNT into the polymer matrix increased the mechanical properties, indicating its suitability as a drug-eluting reinforcing agent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Applications of Biodegradable Composites)
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