PCL and DMSO(2) Composites for Bio-Scaffold Materials

Polycaprolactone (PCL) has been one of the most popular biomaterials in tissue engineering due to its relatively low melting temperature, excellent thermal stability, and cost-effectiveness. However, its low cell attraction, low elastic modulus, and long-term degradation time have limited its application in a wide range of scaffold studies. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO(2)) is a stable and non-hazardous organosulfur compound with low viscosity and high surface tension. PCL and DMSO(2) composites may overcome the limitations of PCL as a biomaterial and tailor the properties of biocomposites. In this study, PCL and DMSO(2) composites were investigated as a new bio-scaffold material to increase hydrophilicity and mechanical properties and tailor degradation properties in vitro. PCL and DMSO(2) were physically mixed with 10, 20, and 30 wt% of DMSO(2) to evaluate thermal, hydrophilicity, mechanical, and degradation properties of the composites. The water contact angle of the composites for hydrophilicity decreased by 15.5% compared to pure PCL. The experimental results showed that the mechanical and degradation properties of PCL and DMSO(2) were better than those of pure PCL, and the properties can be tuned by regulating DMSO2 concentration in the PCL matrix. The elastic modulus of the composite with 30 wt% of DMSO2 showed 532 MPa, and its degradation time was 18 times faster than that of PCL.