The use of irradiation for production of oligochitosan conjugated with graphene oxide

Abstract

Chitosan and derivatives, such as oligochitosan, have been attracting significant attention in the biomedical field due to their versatility, biocompatibility, and environmental sustainability, presenting a promising alternative to synthetic materials. Obtained through the deacetylation of chitin, these biopolymers exhibit important characteristics, including biodegradability and the capacity to interact with a range of materials, which makes them suitable for a variety of applications, especially in the development of nanocomposites. The aim of this work was to obtain oligochitosans (OCH) via gamma radiation at a dose of 40 kGy, dose rate 9.8 kGy/h to functionalize graphene oxide (GO) for biomedical applications. The resulting nanocomposite (OCH/GO) was characterized by DLS, scanning microscopy and atomic force microscopy and evaluated for its cytotoxicity, demonstrating that the incorporation of the materials reduces the toxicity of GO, allowing its application in tissue engineering. The objective of this study was to produce oligochitosans (OCH) by gamma irradiation for the functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) and to assess the cytotoxicity of the resulting nanocomposite for biomedical applications. The OCH/GO nanocomposite was characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Incorporation of oligochitosan reduced the intrinsic toxicity of GO, thus enhancing its potential suitability for applications in tissue engineering.