Inducing Biocompatibility of PANI/PLA Electrospun Scaffolds by Sonochemical Synthesis

Fuente: Journal of applied polymer
Lugar: RESEARCH ARTICLE
Electrospun PLA nanofibers containing sonochemically synthesized polyaniline derivatives were developed as conductive and biocompatible scaffolds. The materials show improved crystallinity, reduced electrical resistance, and preserved cell viability. In particular, PLA/POMA fibers promote enhanced cell adhesion and mitochondrial activity, highlighting their potential for biomedical applications requiring controlled conductivity.


ABSTRACT
The sonochemical synthesis of polyanilines (PANI, POMA, and POEA) proved to be an efficient and eco-friendly route for obtaining conductive polymers with preserved chemical structures and uniform morphology. PLA scaffolds containing 10 wt.% of polyanilines exhibited average fiber diameters ranging from 90 to 118 nm, confirming the reproducibility of the electrospinning process. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed a marked increase in crystallinity, from 32.0% (PLA) to 60.9% (PLA/POMA), confirming the nucleating effect of the conductive fillers. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed a strong decrease in charge transfer resistance (R
2) from 4.85 × 106 Ω (PLA) to 5.58 × 104 Ω (PLA/POEA), indicating improved conductivity. All scaffolds showed cell viability above 80%, while PLA/POMA displayed approximately 40% higher mitochondrial activity in Vero cells compared to the control and less than 1% reduction in MDA-MB-231 cell viability. These findings demonstrate that blending PLA with POMA improved polymer dispersion, crystallinity, and surface properties, fostering better cell adhesion and proliferation. Therefore, electrospun PLA/POMA (10 wt.%) fibers emerge as a promising material for biomedical applications that require controlled electrical conductivity and biocompatibility, such as tissue engineering scaffolds and electrostimulation devices.