Turk M.Deliormanll A.M.2024-07-222024-07-22201708853282http://akademikarsiv.cbu.edu.tr:4000/handle/123456789/15333In this study, electrically conductive, borate-based, porous 13-93B3 bioactive glass composite scaffolds were prepared using a polymer foam replication technique. For this purpose, a slurry containing 40 vol% glass particles and 0-10 wt% graphene nanoplatelets was prepared by dispersing the particles in ethanol in the presence of ethyl cellulose. Composite scaffolds were subjected to a controlled heat treatment, in air atmosphere, to decompose the foam and sinter the glass particles into a dense network. It was found that the applied heat treatment did not influence the structure of graphene in the glass network. Graphene additions did not negatively affect the mechanical properties and enhanced the electrical conductivity of the glass scaffolds. In X-ray diffraction analysis, the crystalline peak corresponding to hydroxyapatite was observed in all the samples suggesting that all of the samples were bioactive after 30 days of immersion in simulated body fluid. However, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis and scanning electron microscope observations revealed that hydroxyapatite formation rate decreased with increasing graphene concentration especially for samples treated in simulated body fluid for shorter times. Based on the cytotoxicity assay findings, the MC3T3-E1 cell growth was significantly inhibited by the scaffolds containing higher amount of graphene compared to bare glass scaffolds. Best performance was obtained for 5 wt% graphene which yielded an enhancement of electrical conductivity with moderate cellular response and in vitro hydroxyapatite forming ability. The study revealed that the electrically conductive 13-93B3 graphene scaffolds are promising candidates for bone tissue engineering applications. © The Author(s) 2017.EnglishEngineeringFoamGlassPolymersTissueAnimalsBone and BonesBoratesCell LineCell ProliferationElectric ConductivityGlassGraphiteMaterials TestingMice, Inbred C57BLPorosityStress, MechanicalTissue EngineeringTissue ScaffoldsBiomechanicsBody fluidsBoneElectric conductivityFoamsFourier transform infrared spectroscopyGrapheneHeat treatmentHydroxyapatiteScaffolds (biology)Scanning electron microscopyTissueTissue engineeringX ray diffraction analysisalcoholbioactive glass scaffoldboric acidethyl cellulosegraphenehydroxyapatiteunclassified drugboric acidglassgraphiteBone tissue engineeringElectrical conductivityElectrically conductiveGraphene nanoplateletsHydroxyapatite formationsPolymer foamsReplication techniquesTissue engineering applicationsanimal cellanimal tissueArticleatmospherebiocompatibilitybiological activitybiomechanicsbody fluidbone regenerationbone tissuecell growthchemical procedureschemical structurecomposite materialconcentration (parameters)controlled studycytotoxicity assaydispersionelectric conductivityheat treatmenthumanhuman cellimmersioninfrared spectroscopyMC3T3 cell linemousenanofabricationnonhumanpolymer foam replication techniquepriority journalscanning electron microscopysimulationtissue engineeringtissue regenerationtissue scaffoldX ray diffractionanimalboneC57BL mousecell linecell proliferationchemistrycytologyelectric conductivitymaterials testingmechanical stressporosityprocedurestissue engineeringtissue scaffoldBioactive glassArticle10.1177/0885328217709608