Sustainable chitosan-based electrical responsive scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

Electroconductive biomaterials have potential in the regeneration of electrically active biological tissues (neural, orthopaedic, cardiac). The aim of this study was to develop an electroconductive scaffold using natural and/or sustainable materials. A composite scaffold made of chitosan, a compound of natural origin, and with incorporated with graphitic carbon obtained from cork (natural and sustainable source) as an electroconductive filler, was prepared. Chitosan (Ch) scaffolds with different concentration of pyrolysed cork (PC) were prepared and fully characterised. An electroconductivity of 5.5 × 10−5 S/cm, i.e. in the range of cardiac tissues, was obtained. FTIR and XPS analysis did not show the presence of chemical bonds between the two components. Despite this, the composite scaffold showed higher thermal stability; moreover, their mechanical strength was significantly higher than for the pure chitosan. The biocompatibility of Ch-PC composite scaffolds has been verified by SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell viability assay. This study shows that a sustainable composite made with chitosan and an innovative electroconductive filler has potential application in tissue engineering.