Synthesis and characterization of bioactive composites for tissue engineering and antimicrobial coatings

The design and manufacture of bioactive composite materials that promote cell isolation, expansion, growth, and differentiation are critical steps in creating engineered tissues that behave like implantable scaffolds. Undoubtedly, the success of these materials also depends on their antimicrobial response and electrical conduction capability. In fact, microbial contamination of an implanted scaffolding can greatly affect cell survival, increasing the risk of plant failure. On the other hand, the scaffold’s ability to transmit and/or respond to electrical stimuli can be exploited to emulate the biological mechanisms driven by bioelectricity, such as transmission of heart signals, muscular contractions, and wound healing. The experimental activities of this PhD research focused on the exploration of chemical and engineering strategies for developing new types of bioactive materials that exert the ability to promote cell viability and the ability to inhibit growth bacterial. In particular, the combination of materials such as bio-polysaccharides, conductive polymers (CPs), emerging MXenes family, epoxy resins, silver ions (Ag+) and natural organic molecules (Curcumin) has allowed the design and manufacture of 3D architectures and 2D coatings.