Improvement of hydrophilicity and cell attachment of polycaprolactone scaffolds using green synthesized carbon dots

Scaffolds obtained from polycaprolactone (PCL) have received extensive explorations due to their biocompatibility and biomechanical features. Nevertheless, weak hydrophilicity limits their application for scaffold-aided tissue engineering. In this work, surface modification of PCL scaffolds by using the carbon dots (CDs) solutions was examined to increasing the hydrophilic property of PCL scaffolds. Mesenchymal cell growth followed up to further investigation and analysis on the biologic functions of the scaffolds. Our findings show an improvement in cell proliferation and attachment to the modified scaffold. The CD-based scaffold possessed surface roughness, pore structure, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility. The procedural situation, structural manufacture, and optimizing the functionality were screened carefully. Thus, this practical technique of PCL modification gives more intelligent biomedical scaffolds and tissue engineering agents with adjustable designs and desirable performances. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study demonstrated successful surface modification of PCL scaffolds using carbon dots (CDs) solutions to enhance their hydrophilicity, leading to improved cell growth and attachment on the scaffolds. The CD-based scaffold exhibited surface roughness, pore structure, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility, showing potential for intelligent biomedical scaffolds with adjustable designs and desirable performances.