@article {18322,
	title = {Chitosan/bioactive glass nanoparticles scaffolds with shape memory properties},
	journal = {Carbohydrate Polymers},
	volume = {123},
	year = {2015},
	month = {2015-06-05 00:00:00},
	pages = {39-45},
	publisher = {Elsevier Ltd.},
	abstract = {<p><span>We propose a combination of chitosan (CHT) with bioactive glass nanoparticles (BG-NPs) in order to produce CHT/BG-NPs scaffolds that combine the shape memory properties of chitosan and the biomineralization ability of BG-NPs for applications in bone regeneration. The addition of BG-NPs prepared by a sol{\textendash}gel route to the CHT polymeric matrix improved the bioactivity of the nanocomposite scaffold, as seen by the precipitation of bone-like apatite layer upon immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). Shape memory tests were carried out while the samples were immersed in varying compositions of water/ethanol mixtures. Dehydration with ethanol enables to fix a temporary shape of a deformed scaffold that recovers the initial geometry upon water uptake. The scaffolds present good shape memory properties characterized by a recovery ratio of 87.5\% for CHT and 89.9\% for CHT/BG-NPs and a fixity ratio of 97.2\% for CHT and 98.2\% for CHT/BG-NPs (for 30\% compressive deformation). The applicability of such structures was demonstrated by a good geometrical accommodation of a previously compressed scaffold in a bone defect. The results indicate that the developed CHT/BG-NPs nanocomposite scaffolds have potential for being applied in bone tissue engineering.</span></p>},
	keywords = {Bioactive glass Nanoparticles, bioactivity, Biomimetic, Chitosan, Hydromechanical cyclic test, shape memory},
	issn = {0144-8617},
	doi = {10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.12.076},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.12.076},
	author = {Correia, C. O. and Leite, A. J. and Mano, J. F.},
	editor = {Kennedy, J. F. and Coimbra, M. A.}
}
