Designing and fabrication of biodegradable composite membranes based on chitosan fibrobin-polyvinyl alcohol by solvent casting method for bone tissue engineering

Designing and fabrication of biodegradable and bioactive membranes are the important issues in guided bone regeneration while these membranes should maintain their structural integrity during repair, have the required mechanical, physical and biological properties and selective permeability. One of the approaches to achieve this purpose is the fabrication of composite membranes based on biopolymers.  In this research, the fabrication and characterization of composite membranes composed of chitosan-silk fibrobin and polyvinyl alcohol have been performed.chitosan solution and fibroin- polyvinyl alcohol solution were mixed in different ratio and membranes were fabricated by solvent casting method. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength and ultimate strain percentage and physical properties including water absorption and degradation rate of membranes were investigated.  The FTIR spectrum of the extracted fibrobin showed peaks at 1650 cm-1, 1530 cm-1, and 1244 cm -1. The XRD and SEM images showed that the synthesized fibrin has the structure of beta plates. The results of physical and mechanical properties of membranes showed that the presence of fibroin in the composition increases the mechanical strength. Increasing the amount of chitosan in the composition increased the water absorption and degradation rate of membranes.  Fibroin is a suitable polymer for increasing mechanical strength, controlling the degradation rate, improving the water absorption ability and is so biocompatible. Solvent casting method with controlling the viscosity of solution and solvent evaporation rate is appropriate method for fabrication the membranes.