Zinc oxide-carbon nanofiber (ZnO-CNF) nanocomposite for bone tissue engineering: An inquiry into structural, physical and biological properties

Electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been used for different tissue-engineered applications because of their biocompatibility and electrical conductivity. Many studies have tried to embed various nanoparticles such as zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) in CNFs to adjust their properties. However, a widespread investigation into the ZnONP effect on the properties of nanocomposites has not been done in detail. In this study, we provided an experimental approach to evaluate the effects of ZnONPs on various structural and non-structural properties of CNF meshes. Different amounts of ZnONPs were incorporated into or sprayed on CNF during electrospinning, and structural characterizations and biocompatibility evaluation were carried out to estimate related parameters. Although higher ZnONP amounts decreased conductivity, surface wettability was improved by ∼19–33%. Also, FTIR, XRD, and Raman analyses proved that the presence of ZnONP improved structure formation with lower defect density. Direct and indirect cellular cytotoxicity assays revealed the good biocompatibility of ZnONP–CNF composites, and MG-63 cells could attach and spread well on the surface of all nanocomposites. Overall, the present study offers insight into ZnONP-containing CNFs, which makes them suitable for bone tissue engineering.