Martin Melucci

Gast Student, National University of Mar del Plata, Argentinien

Fabrication and Characterization of PCL/Chitosan composite electrospun fiber containing bioactive glass particles

Betreuer: Irem Uenalam, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Electrospinning is a versatile technology to produce nano and micron-sized fibers for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering [1]. Bioactive glass is a very attractive material, widely interested for many years due to their excellent osteoconductivity, osteogenesis and angiogenesis properties [2]. A number of studies have been conducted at the FAU Institute of Biomaterials to investigate the incorporation of bioactive glass particles into electrospun fibers [1]. The aim of this thesis work is the fabrication and characterization of PCL/Chitosan composite electrospun fibers containing bioactive glass particles of different compositions and granulometry. The obtained materials will be characterized in terms of surface and mechanical properties and bioactivity in order to assess their suitability for bone tissue engineering applications. This project is being carried out in the framework of the I.DEAR students exchange program between National University of Mar del Plata (UMDP), Argentina, and our Institute, funded by the Argentine-German University Centre (CUAA-DAHZ). Supervisor of the project in Argentina is Dr. Gustavo Abraham (INTEMA), UMDP.

[1] L. Liverani et al., Incorporation of bioactive glass nanoparticles in electrospun PCL/chitosan fibers by using benign solvents, Bioact. Mater., vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 55–63, 2018

[2]  A. A. El-Rashidy, et al., Regenerating bone with bioactive glass scaffolds: A review of in vivo studies in bone defect models_, Acta Biomaterialia 62 (2017) 1-28.