Development of conductive polymer with carbon nanotubes for regenerative medicine applications

Abstract

Multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polymer composites are hybrid materials that combine numerous mechanical, electrical and chemical properties and thus, constitute ideal biomaterials for a wide range of regenerative medicine applications. Although, complete dispersion of MWCNT in a polymer matrix has rarely been achieved, in this study we have studied the dispersibility of MWCNT in POSS-PCU, a novel polymer based on polyprolactone and polycarbonate polyurethane (PCU) with an incorporated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). Furthermore, we developed a computational model that can visualise MWCNTs in order to predict the range of dispersibility and provide a 3-D mathematical model that can predict the chemical concentration for ideal nanocomposites.