Issue 1, 2022

Electroactive 3D printable poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-graft-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers as scaffolds for muscle cell alignment

Abstract

The development of tailor-made polymers to build artificial three-dimensional scaffolds to repair damaged skin tissues is gaining increasing attention in the bioelectronics field. Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is the gold standard conducting polymer for the bioelectronics field due to its high conductivity, thermal stability, and biocompatibility; however, it is insoluble and infusible, which limits its processability into three dimensional scaffolds. Here, poly(3,4-ethylendioxythiophene)-graft-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers, PEDOT-g-PCL, with different molecular weights and PEDOT compositions, were synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization to enhance the processability of PEDOT. First, the chemical structure and composition of the copolymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Then, the additive manufacturing of PEDOT-g-PCL copolymers by direct ink writing was evaluated by rheology and 3D printing assays. The morphology of the printed patterns was further characterized by scanning electron microscopy and the conductivity by the four-point probe. Finally, the employment of these printed patterns to induce muscle cells alignment was tested, proving the ability of PEDOT-g-PCL patterns to produce myotubes differentiation.

Graphical abstract: Electroactive 3D printable poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-graft-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers as scaffolds for muscle cell alignment

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 sep 2021
Accepted
22 nov 2021
First published
02 dec 2021

Polym. Chem., 2022,13, 109-120

Electroactive 3D printable poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-graft-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers as scaffolds for muscle cell alignment

A. Dominguez-Alfaro, M. Criado-Gonzalez, E. Gabirondo, H. Lasa-Fernández, J. L. Olmedo-Martínez, N. Casado, N. Alegret, A. J. Müller, H. Sardon, A. Vallejo-Illarramendi and D. Mecerreyes, Polym. Chem., 2022, 13, 109 DOI: 10.1039/D1PY01185E

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