High-performance PVC–SiO₂ nanocomposite scaffolds: Chitosan and PEG functionalization for enhanced mechanical stability, functional integrity, and bone tissue engineering applications

The production of cost-effective, biocompatible scaffolds with adequate mechanical strength and controlled degradation characteristics is one of the biggest issues in the sphere of the bone tissue engineering. Use of the traditional materials such as metals and ceramics are hard but costly, inflammatory and lack flexibility. This paper addresses these shortcomings by synthesizing polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based nanocomposite scaffolds that have been functionalized with chitosan (CS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) and reinforced with silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) to enhance structural stability and bioactivity. The synthesis of the scaffolds was performed through solvent casting, and the scaffold was analyzed by SEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA, DSC, mechanical tests, and in vitro degradation tests. SEM showed interconnected pores (20–80 µm of CS-based and 5–20 µm of PEG-based scaffolds), which are needed in cell infiltration. FTIR proved that functional groups were successfully incorporated, and XRD showed that PVC-CS amorphous matrices had crystalline silica inclusions and greater crystallinity in PEG-based scaffolds. A thermal analysis proved that it could withstand temperatures of up to 250–300 °C with a glass transition temperature of 70–75 °C. Tensile strengths were found to be 28 MPa (PVC_10% PEG- 2% SiO 2 ) and 17.6 MPa (PVC_ 10% CS_ 2% SiO 2 ), indicating the presence of PEG in enhancing ductility and CS in enhancing rigidity and bioactivity. The scaffolds showed insignificant degradation within 90 days in the solution of Hank. These results prove that nanocomposites made with PVC are promising and sustainable in the application of orthopedic and bone tissue engineering.