Publications by authors named "Akesh Babu Kakarla"

Over the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in the use of bioceramics for biomedical purposes. Bioceramics, specifically those made of calcium phosphate, are commonly used in dental and orthopaedic applications. In this context, hydroxyapatite (HA) is considered a viable option for hard tissue engineering applications given its compositional similarity to bioapatite.

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In this study, we produced bioinspired micro/nanotopography on the surface of poly(vinylidene fluoride--hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) films and demonstrated that these films display antibacterial properties. In the first step, structures that are found on the surface of a rose petal were copied on the surface of PVDF-HFP films. Following this, a hydrothermal method was used to grow ZnO nanostructures on top of this rose petal mimetic surface.

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Wood is a cellulosic material that is most abundantly available in nature. Wood has been extensively used as reinforcement in polymer composite materials. Wood polymer composite (WPC) is an environmentally friendly and sustainable material exploited in building and construction within the marine, packaging, housewares, aerospace, and automotive industries.

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Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, an innovative technology, has gained the attention of researchers as a promising technique for the redevelopment of complex tissue or organ structures. Despite significant advancements, a major challenge in 3D bioprinting is the limited number of suitable bioinks that fulfil the physiochemical requirements to produce complicated structures. Therefore, there is a demand for the production of bioinks for 3D bioprinting techniques.

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The use of biodegradable polymers in daily life is increasing to reduce environmental hazards. In line with this, the present study aimed to develop a fully biodegradable polymer composite that was environmentally friendly and exhibited promising mechanical and thermal properties. Bamboo powder (BP)-reinforced polycaprolactone (PCL) composites were prepared using the solvent casting method.

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The rapid evolution of 3D bioprinting technique, very few biomaterials have been studied and utilised as ink solutions to produce structures. In this work, a polymeric nanocomposite hydrogel-based ink solution was developed using boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) reinforced gelatin for 3D bioprinting of scaffolds. The ink solutions and printed scaffolds were characterised for their printability, mechanical, thermal, water uptake, and biological properties (cell viability and inflammation).

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In recent years, composites consisting of polymers and cellulosic materials have attracted increasing research attention. Polypropylene (PP) is among the most common polymer types found in excavated waste from landfills. Moreover, wood waste generated from wood products manufacturing such as sawdust (SD) offers a good potential for the fabrication of composite materials, and it is readily available in the environment.

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Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are an exciting class of nanomaterials due to their unique chemical and physical characteristics. In recent decades, BNNTs have gained huge attention in research and development for various applications, including as nano-fillers for composites, semiconductor devices, hydrogen storage, and as an emerging material in biomedical and tissue engineering applications. However, the toxicity of BNNTs is not clear, and the biocompatibility is not proven yet.

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Alginate (Alg) hydrogels are commonly used as bioinks in 3D bioprinting. However, one of the significant drawbacks of using Alg hydrogels is their unstable mechanical properties. In this study, a novel hydrogel-based ink composed of Alg reinforced with functionalised boron nitride nanotubes (f-BNNTs) was developed and systematic quantitative characterisation was conducted to validate its printability, physiochemical properties and biocompatibility.

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