Oxygen-Generating Nanofiber Cell Scaffolds with Antimicrobial Properties

Many next-generation biomaterials will need ability to not only promote healthy tissue integration but to simultaneously resist bacterial colonization resulting biomaterials associated infection. For this purpose, antimicrobial nanofibers of (polycapro-lactone(PCL) were fabricated by incorporating calcium peroxide PCL nanofibers containing different ratios of calcium peroxide (1% 5% and 10% (w/w)) without ascorbic acid were fabricated using an electrospinning technique. Antimicrobial evaluations confirmed the inhibitory properties of the nanofibers on the growth of E. coli and S. epidemidis because of a significant burst release of calcium peroxide from the nanofibers. Analysis of tissue cell responses showed that despite an initial toxic effect over the first 24 h afte 4 days of culture osteoblast viability and morphology were both healthy. These results demonstrate that oxygen generating nanofibers can be designed and developed to provide a short term peroxide-based antimicrobial response while still maintaining atractive tissue-integration properties.