Mechanical Characterization of Collagen-Enhanced Chitosan–Alginate Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

Authors

https://doi.org/10.48313/bic.vi.58

Abstract

Tissue engineering scaffolds require a delicate balance between porosity, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility. In this study, chitosan–alginate scaffolds reinforced with Type I collagen were fabricated via freeze-drying and ionic crosslinking. The effect of collagen incorporation (0%, 10%, and 20% w/w) on mechanical properties was evaluated using compressive, tensile, and cyclic compression tests, as well as degradation-related stability over 7 days in PBS. Results demonstrated that the addition of 10% collagen (CAC-10) significantly enhanced compressive and tensile strength, elastic modulus, and recovery ratio, while maintaining favorable stability during degradation. Excessive collagen (20%) slightly decreased mechanical performance, likely due to structural heterogeneity and higher water uptake. Swelling behavior increased with collagen content, highlighting the influence of hydrophilic components on scaffold mechanics. Overall, CAC-10 scaffolds exhibited an optimal combination of mechanical strength, elasticity, and stability, making them promising candidates for soft tissue engineering applications.

Keywords:

Chitosan–alginate scaffold, Collagen, Mechanical properties, Degradation stability, Tissue engineering

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Published

2026-04-16

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): Biocompounds

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Motallebi, S. . (2026). Mechanical Characterization of Collagen-Enhanced Chitosan–Alginate Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering. Biocompounds, 3(1), 45-53. https://doi.org/10.48313/bic.vi.58

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