Engineering Chitosan Using α, ω-Dicarboxylic Acids—An Approach to Improve the Mechanical Strength and Thermal Stability

G. Sailakshmi, Tapas Mitra, Suvro Chatterjee, A. Gnanamani

AU-KBC Research Centre, MIT, Anna University, Chennai, India..
Microbiology Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India.

DOI: 10.4236/jbnb.2013.42021                

Abstract

The current scenario in tissue engineering research demands materials of requisite properties, viz., high porosity, mechanical stability, thermal stability, biocompatibility and biodegradability for clinical applications. However, bringing these properties in single biomaterial is a challenging task, which needs intensive research on suitable cross-linking agents. In the present study, 3D scaffold was prepared with above said properties using chitosan and oxalic (O), malonic (M), succinic (S), glutaric (G), adipic (A), pimelic (P), suberic (SU), azelaic (AZ) and sebacic (SE) acid (OMS- GAP-SAS) individually as a non covalent cross-linkers as well as the solvent for chitosan. Assessment on degree of cross-linking, mechanical strength, FT-IR analysis, morphological observation, thermal stability, binding interactions (molecular docking), in vitro biocompatibility and its efficacy as a wound dressing material were performed. Results revealed the degree of cross-linking for OMSGAP-SAS engineered chitosan were in the range between ≈55% - 65% and the biomaterial demonstrated thermal stability more than 300°C and also exhibited ≥3 - 4 fold increase in mechanical strength compared to chitosan alone. The bioinformatics studies evidently proved the chemistry behind the interaction of OMSGAP-SAS with chitosan. OMSGAP-SAS played dual role to develop the chitosan biomaterial with above said properties, thus matching the requirements needed for various applications.

Keywords

Biomaterial; Chitosan; Cytocompatibility; Dicarboxylic Acid; Mechanical Property

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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