In the present work, the methodology of the production of porous chitosan scaffolds with the participation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) by the electrolytic method has been presented. The electrolysis of 1 solution of chitosan in 1 acetic acid (containing HAp) has been conducted. In the process of electrolysis, chitosan acetate underwent reduction (
to NH2) and deposited on the cathode in the form of porous chitosan hydrogel containing different quantities of HAp. In order to improve antibacterial qualities, the scaffolds were covered with a 15 μm layer of nanosilver. The obtained chitosan structures were further subjected to lyophilisation. The aim of the research is to examine the influence of the conditions of the process on the rate of the scaffolds production as well as the morphology of the structures. Images (SEM) were taken in order to examine the surface structure of scaffolds, dispersion of HAp in the polymer matrix as well as the size of the nanosilver layer on the chitosan surface.
SwethaM., SahithiK., MoorthiA., SrinivasanN., RamasamyK. and SelvamuruganN.:‘Biocomposites containing natural polymers and hydroxyapatite for bone tissue engineering’, Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 2010, 47, 1–4.
2.
ChiangT.-Y., HoC.-C., ChenD.C.-H., LaiM.-H. and DingS.-J.:‘Physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of chitosan oligosaccharide/gelatin/calcium phosphate hybrid cements’, Mater. Chem. Phys., 2010, 120, 282–288.
3.
DepanD. and MisraD.:‘Processing–structure–functional property relationship inorganic–inorganic nanostructured scaffolds for bone-tissue engineering: the response of preosteoblasts’, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. A, 2012, 100A, 3080–3091.
4.
HanW. W. T. and MisraD.:‘Three-dimensional chitosan-nanohydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: structure and interaction with pre-osteoblasts’, J. Mater., 2009, 61, 41–44.
5.
MariaM.:‘Chitozan – wszechstronny polimer ze źródeł odnawialnych (Chitosan – universal polymer from renewable sources)’; 2010, Warszawa, WNT.
6.
MuzzarelliR. A. A.:‘Chitosan composites with inorganics, morphogenetic proteins and stem cells, for bone regeneration’, Carbohydr. Polym., 2011, 83, 1433–1445.
7.
HanW. W. T. and MisraD.:‘Biomimetic chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering’, Acta Biomater., 2009, 5, 1182–1197.
8.
HanW. W. T. and MisraD.:‘Chitosan as a scaffold matrix in tissue engineering’, Mater. Sci. Technol., 2008, 34, 1062–1075.
9.
Di MartinoA., SittingerM. and RisbudM. V.:‘Chitosan: a versatile biopolymer for orthopaedic tissue-engineering’, Biomaterials, 2005, 26, 5983–5990.
10.
MariaM., JacekB., IwonaM. and MichałT.:‘Biopolymeric matrices based on chitosan for medical applications’, e-Polymers, 2011, 3, 1–8.
11.
MuzzarelliR. A. A.:‘Chitins and chitosans for the repair of wounded skin, nerve, cartilage and bone’Carbohydr. Polym., 2009, 76, 167–182.
12.
KasugaT., OtaY., NogamiM. and AbeY.:‘Preparation and mechanical properties of polylactic acid composites containing hydroxyapatite fibers’, Biomaterials, 2001, 22, 19–23.
13.
TanH., WuJ., LaoL. and GaoC.:‘Gelatin/chitosan/hyaluronan scaffold integrated with PLGA microspheres for cartilage tissue engineering’, Acta Biomater., 2009, 5, 328–337.
14.
ChenF., WangZ.-C. and LinC.-J.:‘Preparation and characterization of nano-sized hydroxyapatite particles and hydroxyapatite/chitosan nano-composite for use in biomedical materials’, Mater. Lett., 2002, 57, 858–861.
15.
ArpornmaeklongP., PripatnanontP. and SuwatwiroteN.:‘Properties of chitosan–collagen sponges and osteogenic differentiation of rat-bone marrow stromal cells’, Int. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg., 2008, 37, 357–366.
16.
KikuchiM., IkomaT., ItohS., MatsumotoH. N., KoyamaY., TakakudaK., ShinomiyaK. and TanakaJ.:‘Biomimetic synthesis of bone-like nanocomposites using the self-organization mechanism of hydroxyapatite and collagen’, Compos. Sci. Technol., 2004, 64, 819–825.
17.
PeterM. and GaneshN.:‘Preparation and characterization of chitosan–gelatin/nanohydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for tissue engineering applications’, Carbohydr. Polym., 2010, 80, 687–694.
18.
MadihallyS. V. and MatthewH. W. T.:‘Porous chitosan scaffolds for tissue engineering’, Biomaterials, 1999, 20, 1133–1142.
19.
ChunH. J., KimG.-W. and KimC.-H.:‘Fabrication of porous chitosan scaffold in order to improve biocompatibility’, J. Phys. Chem. Solids, 2008, 69, 1573–1576.
20.
HouQ., GrijpmaD. W. and FeijenJ.:‘Porous polymeric structures for tissue engineering prepared by a coagulation, compression moulding and salt leaching technique’, Biomaterials, 2003, 24, 1937–1947.
21.
LiangD., HsiaoB. S. and ChuB.:‘Functional electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds for biomedical applications’, Adv. Drug Delivery Rev., 2007, 59, 1392–1412.
22.
PangX. and ZhitomirskyI.:‘Electrophoretic deposition of composite hydroxyapatite-chitosan coatings’, Mater. Charact., 2007, 58, 339–348.
23.
TwuY.-K., ChangI.-T. and PingC.-C.:‘Preparation of novel chitosan scaffolds by electrochemical process’, Carbohydr. Polym., 2005, 62, 113–119.
24.
MuchaM. and TylmanM.:‘Electrolytic method of obtaining porous chitosan bone implants’, Patent no. P-394068.
to NH2) and deposited on the cathode in the form of porous chitosan hydrogel containing different quantities of HAp. In order to improve antibacterial qualities, the scaffolds were covered with a 15 μm layer of nanosilver. The obtained chitosan structures were further subjected to lyophilisation. The aim of the research is to examine the influence of the conditions of the process on the rate of the scaffolds production as well as the morphology of the structures. Images (SEM) were taken in order to examine the surface structure of scaffolds, dispersion of HAp in the polymer matrix as well as the size of the nanosilver layer on the chitosan surface.