Customizing porosity and mechanical strength in chitosan-based scaffolds for enhanced bone tissue regeneration
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Chitosan is increasingly employed in bone tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and chemical versatility. This study focuses on the design and optimization of chitosan-based scaffolds, emphasizing the influence of key preparation parameters on their structural and mechanical performance. Formulations were prepared using chitosan concentrations from 1.0 % to 2.5 % (w/v), freezing temperatures of -20 °C and -196 °C, genipin crosslinker from 1.5 % to 10 % (w/v), and magnetite nanoparticle addition at 10 % and 20 % (w/w relative to chitosan). For CS solution frozen at -20 °C, the increase of CS concentration, genipin crosslinking (10 %), and incorporation of magnetite nanoparticles resulted in enhanced compressive strength and modulus of scaffolds, reaching values of 0.40 MPa and 3.57 MPa, respectively. This scaffold offers a combination of porosity (above 80 %) and mechanical strength suitable for trabecular bone regeneration. Freezing the CS solution at -196 °C also enhanced the compressive strength and modulus (0.25 MPa and 1.6 MPa, respectively, versus 0.13 MPa and 1.2 MPa at -20 °C), while resulting in lower porosity (31 %), making it suitable for applications where higher mechanical integrity is required. These findings underscore the tunability of chitosan scaffolds through parameter control, offering a robust approach for developing chitosan-based biomaterials tailored to distinct bone tissue environments.
Source: Carbohydrate Polymers
Authors: Joana Gonçalves, Moisés Luzia Pinto, Paula Ferreira, Cláudia Nunes
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,340
OpenAlex ID: W4413121683