Bioprinting process optimization: case study on PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) and Graphene Oxide biocompatible hydrogels

Scaffolds manufacturing for tissue engineering is an elaborate process since to fabricate a functional tissue, the engineered structures have to mimic the extracellular matrix. The key goal is to produce 3D scaffolds composed of macro- and micro- scale structures. The combination of different production technologies, as 3D bioprinting (BP) and electrospinning (ES), enables the fabrication of multiscale structures but, above all, the biomaterial choice is crucial to apply these technologies.

Hydrogels based of Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a water soluble and biodegradable polymer, are able to create a highly hydrated environment that promotes cell attachment and proliferation, with limited mechanical properties. A good strategy to improve this properties is to incorporate carbon based materials in the hydrogels-matrix such as graphene oxide (GO). GO, due to its particular structure and tailorable biocompatibility, has been widely used in scaffold manufacturing.

The results show that PVA/GO hydrogel can be processed with both ES and 3D BP technologies with a proper process optimization confirming the good dispersion of the GO within the polymer.

The aim of this work is to study whether ES and 3D BP can be used with the same material, to produce novel porous structures for biological applications, in particular connective tissues, and thus optimize the biomanufacturing process.