3D double-reinforced graphene oxide - nanocellulose biomaterial inks for tissue engineered constructs.

Abstract

The advent of improved fabrication technologies, particularly 3D printing, has enabled the engineering of bone tissue for patient-specific healing and the fabrication of <i>in vitro</i> tissue models for <i>ex vivo</i> testing. However, inks made from natural polymers often fall short in terms of mechanical strength, stability, and the induction of osteogenesis. Our research focused on developing novel printable formulations using a gelatin/pectin polymeric matrix that integrate synergistic reinforcement components <i>i.e.</i> graphene oxide (GO) and oxidized nanocellulose fibers (CNF). Using 3D printing technology and the aforementioned biomaterial composite inks, bone-like scaffolds were created. To simulate critical-sized flaws and demonstrate scaffold fidelity, 3D scaffolds were successfully printed using formulations with varied GO concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1% wt with respect to polymer content). The addition of GO to hydrogel inks enhanced not only the compressive modulus but also the printability and scaffold fidelity compared to the pure colloid-gelatin/pectin system. Due to its strong potential for 3D bioprinting, the sample containing 0.5% GO is shown to have the greatest perspectives for bone tissue models and tissue engineering applications.