Characterization of bionanocomposite scaffolds comprised of mercaptoethylamine-functionalized gold nanoparticles crosslinked to acellular porcine tissue

Bionanocomposite scaffolds comprised of nanomaterials and the extracellular matrix (ECM) of porcine diaphragm tissue capitalizes on the benefits of utilizing a natural ECM material, while also potentially enhancing physicomechanical properties and biocompatibility through nanomaterials. Gold nanoparticle (AuNP) bionanocomposite scaffolds were subjected to a number of characterization techniques to determine whether the fabrication process negatively impacted the properties of the porcine diaphragm tissue and whether the AuNP improved the properties of the tissue. Tensile testing and differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated that the bionanocomposite possessed improved tensile strength and thermal stability relative to natural tissue. The collagenase assay and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy additionally confirmed that denaturation of the collagen of the ECM did not occur. The novel bionanocomposite scaffold possessed properties similar to commercially available scaffolds and will be further developed for soft tissue applications such as hernia repair through in vivo studies in an animal model.