Synthesis and properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/chitin nanocrystals composite scaffolds for tissue engineering

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/chitin nanocrystals (CNC) composite scaffolds were synthesized by the salt leaching and thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) technique. The scaffolds have porous structures with macro-pores (100–300   μm in diameters) and micro-pores (10   μm). The surface characteristics of the scaffolds were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and static water contact angle measurement, and the mechanical properties were investigated by a compression test. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) were seeded onto the PHBV/CNC scaffolds and in vitro cell culture results showed that the composite scaffolds enhanced the hADSCs adhesion, which implies that the material may have potential application in tissue engineering.