Matineh Atrian - Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, ۸۴۱۵۶-۸۳۱۱۱, Iran
Mahshid Kharaziha - Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, ۸۴۱۵۶-۸۳۱۱۱, Iran
Rahmatollah Emadi - Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, ۸۴۱۵۶-۸۳۱۱۱, Iran
Farzaneh Alihosseini - Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, ۸۴۱۵۶-۸۳۱۱۱, Iran

Background and Aim: Loss alveolar bone is a common phenomenonafter extraction of teeth. One of the most effective methods to regeneratedamaged tissue is guided bone regeneration (GBR) application. GBRmembrane allows spaces maintained by a barrier in order to regeneratenew bone tissue. Due to the functions of the guided bone regeneration,these membranes should have physical and mechanical propertiessimilar to the extracellular matrix (ECM) of natural bone and ability ofosseointegration. The aim of this study was to develop nanocompositefibrous membranes of silk-laponite using electrospinning technique.Methods: Silk is one of the natural polymers which have manyapplications for tissue engineering. Some features like appropriatemechanical strength and toughness have made this polymer a goodchoice for this application. However, the inability to osseointegrationleads to the development of nanocomposite membranes, based onsilk. Laponite with chemical composition [(Mg, Li)3Si4O10(OH)2Na3]is one of the nanoclay which recently has been greatly considered fortissue engineering and biomedical applications. One of the best waysto manufacture GBR membrane with interconnected porous and fibrousproperties is electrospinning. Electrospinning by applying electricalpower can produce micrometers size to nanometers fibers from compositesolution. It could mimic the architectural of bone ECM and improve themechanical properties compared to previous fibrous membranes.Results: Results showed that manufactured fibrous membrane of silkfibroin-laponite through electrospinning has uniforms distribution andsuitable size of fibers. Silk fibroin-5 wt% laponite revealed the beststrength (1.63±0.61 MPa) and its strength decreased when laponitecontent of nanocomposite increased. Moreover, immersion in SBFsolution for 21 days demonstrated that increasing the laponite contentresulted in the improved bioactivity of nanocomposite membrane.Conclusion: In the present study, novel nanofibrous compositemembranes of silk fibroin and laponite nanopowder were successfullydeveloped through electrospinning technique. Addition of laponitenanopowder increased the bioactivity ability and mechanical propertiesof pure silk fibroin fibrous membranes. Results showed that fibrousmembranes consisting of 5 wt% laponite nanopowder exhibited the bestmorphology of fibers and significantly increased the mechanical andbioactivity properties.

Guided Bone Regeneration; Fibrous Scaffold; Nanocomposite membrane; Electrospinning