45S5 Bioglass®-derived scaffolds coated with organic-inorganic hybrids containing graphene

Highly porous 45S5 Bioglass®-based scaffolds fabricated by a foam replication technique were coated with electrically conductive organic-inorganic hybrid layers containing graphene by a solution method. α,ω-Triethoxysilane terminated poly(ethylene glycol) and tetraethoxysilane were used as the precursors of the organic-inorganic hybrid coatings, that contained 1.5 %wt of homogeneously dispersed graphene nanoplatelets.The resulting coated scaffolds retained their original high porosity and interconnected pore structure after graphene coating. The presence of graphene did not impair the bioactivity of the scaffolds in simulated body fluid. The graphene-coated scaffolds were tested in vitro by cell culture in order to evaluate the biocompatibility. Initial tests carried out using MG-63 cells demonstrated that both uncoated scaffolds and scaffolds coated with organic/inorganic hybrids containing graphene offered the cultured cells an adequate surface for cell attachment, spreading and expression of extracellular matrix. The results showed that scaffolds coated with graphene are biocompatible and they can support cellular activity. No cytotoxic effects of graphene were observed under the conditions of the present experiments. The electrical conductivity introduced by the coating might have the potential to increase tissue growth when cell culture is carried out under an applied electric field.