Mechanical characterization of high-performance graphene oxide incorporated aligned fibroporous poly(carbonate urethane) membrane for potential biomedical applications
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Date
2015
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JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
Abstract
In this article, we report the development of graphene oxide (GO) reinforced electrospun poly(carbonate urethane) (PCU) nanocomposite membranes intended for biomedical applications. In this study, we aimed to improve the mechanical properties of PCU fibroporous electrospun membranes through fiber alignment and GO incorporation. Membranes with 1, 1.5, and 3% loadings of GO were evaluated for their morphology, mechanical properties, crystallinity, biocompatibility, and hemocompatibitity. The mechanical properties were assessed under both static and dynamic conditions to explore the tensile characteristics and visco-elastic properties. The results show that GO presented a good dispersion and exfoliation in the PCU matrix, contributing to an increase in the mechanical performance. The static mechanical properties indicated a 55% increase in the tensile strength, a 127% increase in toughness for 1.5 wt % GO loading and the achievement of a maximum strength reinforcement efficiency value at the same loading. Crystallinity changes in membranes were examined by X-ray diffraction analysis. In vitro cytotoxicity tests with L-929 fibroblast cells and percentage hemolysis tests with fresh venous blood displayed the membranes to be cytocompatible with acceptable levels of hemolytic characteristics. Accordingly, these results highlight the potential of this mechanically improved composite membrane's application in the biomedical field. (C) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Polymer Science
Citation
132 ,16;-