Tissue engineering has focused on the development of biomaterials that emulate the native extracellular matrix. Therefore, the purpose of this research was oriented to the development of nanofibrillar bilayer membranes composed of polycaprolactone with low and medium molecular weight chitosan, evaluating their physicochemical and biological properties. Two-bilayer membranes were developed by an electrospinning technique considering the effect of chitosan molecular weight and parameter changes in the technique. Subsequently, the membranes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform spectroscopy, stress tests, permeability, contact angle, hemolysis evaluation, and an MTT test. From the results, it was found that changes in the electrospinning parameters and the molecular weight of chitosan influence the formation, fiber orientation, and nanoarchitecture of the membranes. Likewise, it was evidenced that a higher molecular weight of chitosan in the bilayer membranes increases the stiffness and favors polar anchor points. This increased Young’s modulus, wettability, and permeability, which, in turn, influenced the reduction in the percentage of cell viability and hemolysis. It is concluded that the development of biomimetic bilayer nanofibrillar membranes modulate the physicochemical properties and improve the hemolytic behavior so they can be used as a hemocompatible biomaterial.

The use of natural polymers such as sericin (SS) and chitosan (Ch) for developing biomaterials has increased in tissue engineering. To ensure adequate biointegration with the biological environment, the method used to obtain the biomaterial plays an important role, which is why the electrospinning technique has been employed due to its versatility with regard to emulating the native extracellular matrix. The present study evaluated the influence of electrospinning parameters on the morphological, chemical, and thermal properties of polycaprolactone (PCL), Ch, and SS composite membranes. To achieve this, experiments were designed with varying manufacturing parameters and SS concentrations. The membranes were then characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms spectrophotometry (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM images showed that the electrospinning conditions and SS concentrations allow the development of electrospun membranes with high fibrillar density randomly oriented and fiber diameters below 100 nm. Likewise, the spectra and thermograms of the composite membranes show the possible chemical interactions and thermal behavior, demonstrating the homogeneity and stability of the fibrillar structure.