Electrically conductive gel/fibers composite scaffold with graded properties.

Gradient biomaterials have emerged as fascinating platforms to satisfy the need for imitation of ubiquitous gradients in biology, especially those found at tissue interfaces. In the current study, a gradient fiber-hydrogel scaffold was fabricated to imitate the extracellular matrix of soft-to-hard tissue interfaces. For the fiber proportion, a gradient electrospinning was developed where controlled mixing of solutions with dissimilar concentration of a conductive polymer in injection vessel imparted a composition gradient to electrospinning jet, and thus electrospun fibers. The planar graded fibers were exposed to ultrasound to be three-dimensional and gel permeable. For the hydrogel fraction, a gradient mixing tool was used in which controlled mixing of solutions with disparate concentration of hydrogel components conferred a composition gradient to hydrogel precursor solution. The graded precursor solution was introduced to gradient 3D fibers and then self-crosslinked. Gradient fibers, hydrogel and fiber-gel composite were assessed by many techniques including microscopy, spectroscopy, mechanical analysis and conductivity measurement to ascertain gradient formation. Polymeric constituents' gradient in electrospinning outflow gave rise to not only gradual changes in fiber diameter, also subtle variations in electrical conductivity and other fibers' attributes. Gradient hydrogel making apparatus rendered a steady increase in crosslink involving component and yielded a hydrogel with graded features. The created composite revealed the propitious unification of fibrous and gelation parts into a single scaffold with no detrimental effect on structure and gradient of each part.