Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration

João Paulo Ruiz Lucio de Lima Parra; Murillo Longo Martins; Valber de Albuquerque Pedrosa; Amanda Fantini de Camargo Andrade; Anderson Moreira Gomes; Geórgia da Silva Feltran; Edson José Comparetti; Valtencir Zucolotto; Willian Fernando Zambuzzi

doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.138456

Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration

João Paulo Ruiz Lucio de Lima Parra
, Murillo Longo Martins
, Valber de Albuquerque Pedrosa
, Amanda Fantini de Camargo Andrade
, Anderson Moreira Gomes
, Geórgia da Silva Feltran
, Edson José Comparetti
, Valtencir Zucolotto
, Willian Fernando Zambuzzi

Chemical Spectroscopy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bone research benefits from recent developments of advanced composites combining polymers and solid nanoparticles. Here, we investigate composites comprising chitosan, hydroxyapatite, and carbon nanotubes, providing insights into the polymer-nanoparticle interactions and the relationships of these compounds with water. These results were combined with assays performed with pre-osteoblastic cells. We observe that chitosan's amine moieties hardly participate in the polymer/nanoparticles interactions, and the nanotubes barely contribute to the formation of interfacial water populations. Conversely, hydroxyapatite directly affects the behavior of interfacial and bulk-like water within the composite due to the hydrophilic character of these particles and their gradual degradation within the chitosan network. In the biological assays, the chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite induces a fast cellular response followed by a negative effect, likely because of a meaningful release of ions to the media. However, adding nanotubes to the formulation mitigates this effect and enables a more sustainable, positive impact on the cells.

Original language	English
Article number	138456
Journal	Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
Volume	727
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.138456
State	Published - Dec 20 2025

Funding

This research is financially supported by São Paulo State Foundation ( FAPESP : Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo; grant numbers: J.P.R.L.L. P. thanks to 2019/09735–0 ; and V.A.P. thanks to 2019/13411–5 and 2024/00063–7; CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; grant numbers: W.F.Z thanks to 314166/2021–1 ; and V.A.P thanks to 303016/2022–1 ; and CAPES : Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Code: 001. The authors also thank the Electron Microscopy Center (São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil) for the SEM technique assistance.

Keywords

Bone tissue engineering
Carbon nanotubes
Chitosan
Hydrogels
Hydroxyapatite

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10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.138456

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de Lima Parra, J. P. R. L., Martins, M. L., de Albuquerque Pedrosa, V., de Camargo Andrade, A. F., Gomes, A. M., da Silva Feltran, G., Comparetti, E. J., Zucolotto, V., & Zambuzzi, W. F. (2025). Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 727, Article 138456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.138456

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title = "Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration",

abstract = "Bone research benefits from recent developments of advanced composites combining polymers and solid nanoparticles. Here, we investigate composites comprising chitosan, hydroxyapatite, and carbon nanotubes, providing insights into the polymer-nanoparticle interactions and the relationships of these compounds with water. These results were combined with assays performed with pre-osteoblastic cells. We observe that chitosan's amine moieties hardly participate in the polymer/nanoparticles interactions, and the nanotubes barely contribute to the formation of interfacial water populations. Conversely, hydroxyapatite directly affects the behavior of interfacial and bulk-like water within the composite due to the hydrophilic character of these particles and their gradual degradation within the chitosan network. In the biological assays, the chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite induces a fast cellular response followed by a negative effect, likely because of a meaningful release of ions to the media. However, adding nanotubes to the formulation mitigates this effect and enables a more sustainable, positive impact on the cells.",

keywords = "Bone tissue engineering, Carbon nanotubes, Chitosan, Hydrogels, Hydroxyapatite",

author = "\{de Lima Parra\}, \{Jo{\~a}o Paulo Ruiz Lucio\} and Martins, \{Murillo Longo\} and \{de Albuquerque Pedrosa\}, Valber and \{de Camargo Andrade\}, \{Amanda Fantini\} and Gomes, \{Anderson Moreira\} and \{da Silva Feltran\}, Ge{\'o}rgia and Comparetti, \{Edson Jos{\'e}\} and Valtencir Zucolotto and Zambuzzi, \{Willian Fernando\}",

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de Lima Parra, JPRL, Martins, ML, de Albuquerque Pedrosa, V, de Camargo Andrade, AF, Gomes, AM, da Silva Feltran, G, Comparetti, EJ, Zucolotto, V & Zambuzzi, WF 2025, 'Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration', Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, vol. 727, 138456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.138456

Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration. / de Lima Parra, João Paulo Ruiz Lucio; Martins, Murillo Longo; de Albuquerque Pedrosa, Valber et al.
In: Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Vol. 727, 138456, 20.12.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration

AU - de Lima Parra, João Paulo Ruiz Lucio

AU - Martins, Murillo Longo

AU - de Albuquerque Pedrosa, Valber

AU - de Camargo Andrade, Amanda Fantini

AU - Gomes, Anderson Moreira

AU - da Silva Feltran, Geórgia

AU - Comparetti, Edson José

AU - Zucolotto, Valtencir

AU - Zambuzzi, Willian Fernando

PY - 2025/12/20

Y1 - 2025/12/20

N2 - Bone research benefits from recent developments of advanced composites combining polymers and solid nanoparticles. Here, we investigate composites comprising chitosan, hydroxyapatite, and carbon nanotubes, providing insights into the polymer-nanoparticle interactions and the relationships of these compounds with water. These results were combined with assays performed with pre-osteoblastic cells. We observe that chitosan's amine moieties hardly participate in the polymer/nanoparticles interactions, and the nanotubes barely contribute to the formation of interfacial water populations. Conversely, hydroxyapatite directly affects the behavior of interfacial and bulk-like water within the composite due to the hydrophilic character of these particles and their gradual degradation within the chitosan network. In the biological assays, the chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite induces a fast cellular response followed by a negative effect, likely because of a meaningful release of ions to the media. However, adding nanotubes to the formulation mitigates this effect and enables a more sustainable, positive impact on the cells.

AB - Bone research benefits from recent developments of advanced composites combining polymers and solid nanoparticles. Here, we investigate composites comprising chitosan, hydroxyapatite, and carbon nanotubes, providing insights into the polymer-nanoparticle interactions and the relationships of these compounds with water. These results were combined with assays performed with pre-osteoblastic cells. We observe that chitosan's amine moieties hardly participate in the polymer/nanoparticles interactions, and the nanotubes barely contribute to the formation of interfacial water populations. Conversely, hydroxyapatite directly affects the behavior of interfacial and bulk-like water within the composite due to the hydrophilic character of these particles and their gradual degradation within the chitosan network. In the biological assays, the chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite induces a fast cellular response followed by a negative effect, likely because of a meaningful release of ions to the media. However, adding nanotubes to the formulation mitigates this effect and enables a more sustainable, positive impact on the cells.

KW - Bone tissue engineering

KW - Carbon nanotubes

KW - Chitosan

KW - Hydrogels

KW - Hydroxyapatite

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M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105017005359

SN - 0927-7757

VL - 727

JO - Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects

JF - Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects

M1 - 138456

ER -

Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration

Abstract

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Keywords

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