ABSTRACT
Cassava bagasse and its extracted cellulose fibres have seen frequent application mostly
in the packaging industry as reinforcement material in plastic composites development.
However, the material properties such as the mechanical properties of the single
elementary cassava cellulose fibres have not been examined and reviewed literature
does not show its potential use in the development of tissue engineering scaffolds for
cell culture. The study, therefore, characterized the mechanical properties,
physicochemical, morphological and microstructural characteristics and thermal
degradation profiles of single elementary cellulose fibre as well as the central vascular
fibre (“thick-core fibre) isolated from three genotypes of cassava (tagged in this study
as ID4, ID6 and AF). Additionally, the study examined the effect of incorporating
cassava cellulose microfibres as reinforcement on the mechanical properties and
microstructure characteristics of three-dimensional gelatin scaffolds. Non-treated
isolated cassava fibres were tested according to ASTM C1557. Three-dimensional
cassava microfibre/gelatin scaffolds with different fibre weight fractions were
fabricated using phase separation and freeze-drying methods. Tensile test results
showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in mechanical properties
recorded between the single elementary fibre and vascular fibre (thick-core) for the
three cassava genotypes. Different genotypes of cassava fibre showed significant
differences (p < 0.05) in tensile strength and Young’s modulus, with ID4 fibre
recording the highest average tensile strength of 7.567 ± 3.844 MPa and highest elastic
modulus of 336.485 ±130.803 MPa. XRD analysis showed similar diffraction pattern
with minimal variation in signal intensities for both single and thick-core fibres for all
cassava genotypes suggesting nonsignificant differences in crystalline structure
between them. TGA analysis showed that cassava fibre is thermally stable between the
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temperatures of 100 °C – 200 °C. The cassava cellulose microfibre/gelatin scaffolds
fabricated showed rough surfaces compared to pure gelatin scaffolds and were highly
porous with surface porosity ranging between 84 and 90%, and had interconnected
pores of average size 36 ±12 μm. Gelatin scaffolds containing up to 7% cassava
cellulose microfibre load recorded a maximum compressive strength of 0.29±0.02
MPa, about eight (8) times higher than that for the pure gelatin scaffolds and average
Young’s modulus of 1.31 ±0.03 MPa, about four times higher than pure gelatin
scaffolds. Preliminary theoretical modelling using Halpin-Tsai model could accurately
explain the variabilities in the compression modulus of the gelatin composite scaffolds.
In all, the results showed that cassava fibre has considerable mechanical strength and
stiffness and can be used as reinforcement filler to improve the mechanical integrity of
tissue engineering polymer scaffolds. The cassava fibre/gelatin scaffolds showed
surface architecture that could improve cell–matrix adhesion and efficient cell seeding
and diffusion of nutrients during cell culture.
DIABOR, E (2021). Isolation And Characterization Of Cassava Fibre For Tissue Engineering Scaffold Application. Afribary. Retrieved from https://track.afribary.com/works/isolation-and-characterization-of-cassava-fibre-for-tissue-engineering-scaffold-application
DIABOR, EMMANUEL "Isolation And Characterization Of Cassava Fibre For Tissue Engineering Scaffold Application" Afribary. Afribary, 18 Apr. 2021, https://track.afribary.com/works/isolation-and-characterization-of-cassava-fibre-for-tissue-engineering-scaffold-application. Accessed 05 Nov. 2024.
DIABOR, EMMANUEL . "Isolation And Characterization Of Cassava Fibre For Tissue Engineering Scaffold Application". Afribary, Afribary, 18 Apr. 2021. Web. 05 Nov. 2024. < https://track.afribary.com/works/isolation-and-characterization-of-cassava-fibre-for-tissue-engineering-scaffold-application >.
DIABOR, EMMANUEL . "Isolation And Characterization Of Cassava Fibre For Tissue Engineering Scaffold Application" Afribary (2021). Accessed November 05, 2024. https://track.afribary.com/works/isolation-and-characterization-of-cassava-fibre-for-tissue-engineering-scaffold-application