Mechanical and Biological Properties of 3D-Printed Magnetic Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Scaffolds Via Chitosan/Mwcnts Coating Publisher

Summary: Can coated scaffolds strengthen bone repair? Laboratory tests found chitosan-carbon nanotube coatings improved scaffold strength with porosity and cell compatibility. #Biomaterials #BoneRepair

Toghian Chaharsoughi A ; Karbasi S ; Emadoddin E ; Poursamar S A
Source: Journal of Polymers and the Environment Published:2026

Abstract

Bone tissue engineering requires scaffolds that combine high bioactivity with sufficient mechanical strength to support tissue regeneration. In this study, a novel strategy was developed to fabricate hierarchical magnetic mesoporous bioactive glass scaffolds reinforced with 7.5 wt% Al₂O₃ nanowires using direct ink writing. To further enhance scaffold performance, the printed structures were coated with chitosan (CS) and chitosan/multi-walled carbon nanotube (CS/MWCNT) nanocomposites. The resulting scaffolds retained their amorphous, mesoporous, and superparamagnetic characteristics while exhibiting a highly interconnected porous architecture. CS coating increased compressive strength by 36.8 ± 1.2%, whereas CS/MWCNT coating produced a substantially greater enhancement of 155.26 ± 4.4%, while maintaining high porosity (> 82%). In addition, all scaffolds demonstrated excellent bioactivity, high cell viability (> 85%), favorable cell adhesion, and enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity. These findings demonstrate that CS/MWCNT-coated MMBG scaffolds provide an effective combination of mechanical reinforcement and osteogenic potential, offering a promising platform for load-bearing bone tissue engineering applications. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2026.