Influence of the addition of β-TCP on the morphology, thermal properties and cell viability of poly (lactic acid) fibers obtained by electrospinning

Electrospinning is a simple and low-cost way to fabricate fibers. Among the various polymers used in electrospinning process, the poly (lactic acid) (PLA) stands out due to its excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility. Calcium phosphate ceramics has been recognized as an attractive biomaterial because their chemical composition is similar to the mineral component of the hard tissue in the body. Furthermore, they are bioactive and osteoinductive and some are even quite biodegradable. The beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) particles were synthesized by solid state reaction. Different contents of β-TCP particles were incorporated in polymer matrices to form fibers of PLA/β-TCP composites by electrospinning aiming a possible application as a scaffold for tissue engineering. The fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The average diameter of the fibers varied in the range of 260-519.6 ± 50 nm. The presence of β-TCP particles promoted changes on thermal properties of the fibers. The composite with 8 wt-% of β-TCP showed a low degree of crystallinity and can be used for application in tissue engineering. The cell viability was analyzed by reduction of the methyl tetrazolium salt by the pyruvate dehydrogenase enzymatic complex present in the matrix of mitochondria (MTT test). All PLA fiber groups, with different contents of β-TCP, showed cytocompatibility ability with non-cytotoxicity effect and bioactive properties using SBF assay.