There has been increasing attention paid to protein-based smart materials for use in diverse applications due to their excellent biocompatibility and high flexibility. In this study, flexible silk fibroin protein and biocompatible barium hexaferrite (BaM) nanoparticles were combined and electrospun into nanofibers, and their physical properties could be tuned through the mixing ratios and a water annealing process. Structural analysis indicates that the protein structure of the materials is fully controllable by the annealing process. The mechanical properties of the electrospun composites can be significantly improved by water annealing, while the magnetic properties of barium hexaferrite are maintained in the composite. Notably, in the absence of magnetic field, cell growth increased slightly with increasing BaM content. Application of an external magnetic field during in vitro cell biocompatibility study of the materials demonstrated significantly larger cell growth. We propose a mechanism to explain the effects of water annealing and magnetic field on the cell growth. This study indicates that these composite electrospun fibers may be widely used in the biomedical field for controllable cell response through applying different external magnetic fields.

Silk-based magnetic nanofiber materials with tunable structures and properties to enhance biological responses

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.