This work reports on the influence of polarization and morphology of electroactive poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, on the adhesion and morphology of myoblast cells. Non-poled, “poled+” and “poled−” β-PVDF films were prepared by solvent casting followed by corona poling. Furthermore, random and aligned electrospun β-PVDF fiber mats were also prepared. It is demonstrated that negatively charged surfaces improve cell adhesion and proliferation and that the directional growth of the myoblast cells can be achieved by culturing the cell on aligned fibers. Therefore, the potential application of electroactive materials for muscle regeneration is demonstrated.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its main copolymers - poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene), P(VDF-HFP), and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE) - were processed by solvent casting at room temperature in the form of porous membranes. Copolymer membranes showed higher degree of porosity than PVDF, the average pore size being larger for P(VDF-TrFE) than for P(VDF-HFP) and PVDF. All membranes show high hydrophobicity with water contact angles in the range 94° to 115°, and electroactive beta phase contents above 90%. The adhesion and proliferation of both C2C12 myoblast and MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells on the membranes were investigated. It is demonstrated that PVDF membranes promote higher cell proliferation while P(VDF-HFP) membranes show the lowest proliferation for both kinds of cell. The proliferation on P(VDF-TrFE) membranes is cell dependent, higher for MC3T3-E1 cells but lower for C2C12 cells, related to the effect of the highly porous structure on the preferred morphology of each cell type, as the higher pore size and porosity of the P(VDF-TrFE) membrane induce cell elongation, which is preferred just by the C2C12 muscle cells

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been extensively explored and implemented in different areas, ranging from sensors and actuators to the biomedical field. The increasing attention devoted to ILs centers on their unique properties and possible combination of different cations and anions, allowing the development of materials with specific functionalities and requirements for applications. Particularly for biomedical applications, ILs have been used for biomaterials preparation, improving dissolution and processability, and have been combined with natural and synthetic polymer matrixes to develop IL-polymer hybrid materials to be employed in different fields of the biomedical area. This review focus on recent advances concerning the role of ILs in the development of biomaterials and their combination with natural and synthetic polymers for different biomedical areas, including drug delivery, cancer therapy, tissue engineering, antimicrobial and antifungal agents, and biosensing.