Polycaprolactone-Polydiacetylene Electrospun Fibers for Colorimetric Detection of Fake Gasoline

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Shamshad Ali

2016-04-01

Full Text Available PCDA (Pentacosadiynoic Acid monomers were successfully embedded in PCL (Poly ?-Caprolactone polymer matrix by electrospinning process for the first time. The resultant EFM (Electrospun Fibers Mat was photo-polymerized under 254 nm UV light that enables colorimetric detection of fake gasoline. Results revealed that the fake gasoline develops a red color mat within 5 sec. FE-SEM images showed that the fake gasoline treatment dissolved the PCL EFM that give access to interact with PDA polymer. The proposed litmus-type sensor based on PCL-PDA EFM is highly sensitive to fake gasoline and can be fabricated easily

Antibacterial electrospun chitosan-polyethylene oxide nanocomposite mats containing ZIF-8 nanoparticles.

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Kohsari, Iraj; Shariatinia, Zahra; Pourmortazavi, Seied Mahdi

2016-10-01

Antimicrobial chitosan-polyethylene oxide (CS-PEO) nanofiber mats loaded with 3, 5 and 10% (w/w) of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 nanoparticles (ZIF-8 NPs, ∼60nm diameter) were developed by electrospinning technique. The CS-PEO-GA-3% ZIF-8 NPs crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) vapor was also prepared. The electrospun mats were characterized by various analysis including FE-SEM, EDAX, elemental mapping, FT-IR, contact angle, TGA/DSC as well as tensile strength analysis. The nanofibers had average diameters within the range ∼70-120nm. Antimicrobial activities of the CS-PEO and CS-PEO-3% ZIF-8 mats were evaluated by the viable cell-counting method for determining their effectiveness in reducing or halting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria so that the CS-PEO mat containing 3% ZIF-8 revealed 100% bactericidal activity against both kinds of bacteria. The crosslinked CS-PEO-GA-3% ZIF-8 NPs sample was less thermally stable but more hydrophilic than its related non-crosslinked mat reflecting there was no need to crosslink the fibers using a chemical crosslinker having adverse effects. The highest hydrophobicity and appropriate thermal and tensile properties of CS-PEO-3% ZIF-8 NPs among those of the mats including 5 and 10% ZIF-8 NPs suggested that the mentioned mat is the most suitable sample for food coating applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrospun Zein Fibers Incorporating Poly(glycerol sebacate for Soft Tissue Engineering

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Lena Vogt

2018-03-01

Full Text Available For biomedical applications such as soft tissue engineering, plant proteins are becoming increasingly attractive. Zein, a class of prolamine proteins found in corn, offers excellent properties for application in the human body, but has inferior mechanical properties and lacks aqueous stability. In this study, electrospun scaffolds from neat zein and zein blended with prepolymer and mildly cross-linked poly(glycerol sebacate (PGS were fabricated. Less toxic solvents like acetic acid and ethanol were used. The morphological, physiochemical and degradation properties of the as-spun fiber mats were determined. Neat zein and zein-PGS fiber mats with high zein concentration (24 wt % and 27 wt % showed defect-free microstructures. The average fiber diameter decreased with increasing PGS amount from 0.7 ± 0.2 µm to 0.09 ± 0.03 µm. The addition of PGS to zein resulted in a seven-fold increase in ultimate tensile strength and a four-fold increase in failure strain, whereas the Young’s Modulus did not change significantly. Degradation tests in phosphate buffered saline revealed the morphological instability of zein containing fiber mats in contact with aqueous media. Therefore, the fibers were in situ cross-linked with N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl-N′-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC/N-Hydroxysuccinimide (NHS, which led to improved morphological stability in aqueous environment. The novel fibers have suitable properties for application in soft tissue engineering.

Fabrication and In Vitro/In Vivo Performance of Mucoadhesive Electrospun Nanofiber Mats Containing α-Mangostin.

Science.gov (United States)

Samprasit, Wipada; Rojanarata, Theerasak; Akkaramongkolporn, Prasert; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait; Kaomongkolgit, Ruchadaporn; Opanasopit, Praneet

2015-10-01

This study aimed to fabricate mucoadhesive electrospun nanofiber mats containing α-mangostin for the maintenance of oral hygiene and reduction of the bacterial growth that causes dental caries. Synthesized thiolated chitosan (CS-SH) blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was selected as the mucoadhesive polymer. α-Mangostin was incorporated into the CS-SH/PVA solution and electrospun to obtain nanofiber mats. Scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and tensile strength testing were used to characterize the mats. The swelling degree and mucoadhesion were also determined. The nanofiber mats were further evaluated regarding their α-mangostin content, in vitro α-mangostin release, antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, in vivo performance, and stability. The results indicated that the mats were in the nanometer range. The α-mangostin was well incorporated into the mats, with an amorphous form. The mats showed suitable tensile strength, swelling, and mucoadhesive properties. The loading capacity increased when the initial amount of α-mangostin was increased. Rapid release of α-mangostin from the mats was achieved. Additionally, a fast bacterial killing rate occurred at the lowest concentration of nanofiber mats when α-mangostin was added to the mats. The mats were less cytotoxic after use for 72 h. Moreover, in vivo testing indicated that the mats could reduce the number of oral bacteria, with a good mouth feel. The mats maintained the amount of α-mangostin for 6 months. The results suggest that α-mangostin-loaded mucoadhesive electrospun nanofiber mats may be a promising material for oral care and the prevention of dental caries.

Processing and characterization of α-elastin electrospun membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Araujo, J.; Padrão, J.; Silva, J. P.; Dourado, F.; Correia, D. M.; Botelho, G.; Gomez Ribelles, J. L.; Lanceros-Méndez, S.; Sencadas, V.

2014-06-01

Elastin isolated from fresh bovine ligaments was dissolved in a mixture of 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoro-2-propanol and water were electrospun into fiber membranes under different processing conditions. Fiber mats of randomly and aligned fibers were obtained with fixed and rotating ground collectors and fibrils were composed by thin ribbons whose width depends on electrospinning conditions; fibrils with 721 nm up to 2.12 μm width were achieved. After cross-linking with glutaraldehyde, α-elastin can uptake as much as 1700 % of PBS solution and a slight increase on fiber thickness was observed. The glass transition temperature of electrospun fiber mats was found to occur at ˜80 °C. Moreover, α-Elastin showed to be a perfect elastomeric material, and no mechanical hysteresis was found in cycle mechanical measurements. The elastic modulus obtained for random and aligned fibers mats in a PBS solution was 330±10 kPa and 732±165 kPa, respectively. Finally, the electrospinning and cross-linking process does not inhibit MC-3T3-E1 cell adhesion. Cell culture results showed good cell adhesion and proliferation in the cross-linked elastin fiber mats.

Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Polycaprolactone Blended with Chitosan-Gelatin Complex Nanofibrous Mats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongfang Qian

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Design and fabrication of nanofibrous scaffolds should mimic the native extracellular matrix. This study is aimed at investigating electrospinning of polycaprolactone (PCL blended with chitosan-gelatin complex. The morphologies were observed from scanning electron microscope. As-spun blended mats had thinner fibers than pure PCL. X-ray diffraction was used to analyze the degree of crystallinity. The intensity at two peaks at 2θ of 21° and 23.5° gradually decreased with the percentage of chitosan-gelatin complex increasing. Moreover, incorporation of the complex could obviously improve the hydrophilicity of as-spun blended mats. Mechanical properties of as-spun nanofibrous mats were also tested. The elongation at break of fibrous mats increased with the PCL content increasing and the ultimate tensile strength varied with different weight ratios. The as-spun mats had higher tensile strength when the weight ratio of PCL to CS-Gel was 75/25 compared to pure PCL. Both as-spun PCL scaffolds and PCL/CS-Gel scaffolds supported the proliferation of porcine iliac endothelial cells, and PCL/CS-Gel had better cell viability than pure PCL. Therefore, electrospun PCL/Chitosan-gelatin nanofibrous mats with weight ratio of 75/25 have better hydrophilicity mechanical properties, and cell proliferation and thus would be a promising candidate for tissue engineering scaffolds.

Drug-loaded electrospun mats of poly(vinyl alcohol) fibres and their release characteristics of four model drugs

Science.gov (United States)

Taepaiboon, Pattama; Rungsardthong, Uracha; Supaphol, Pitt

2006-05-01

Mats of PVA nanofibres were successfully prepared by the electrospinning process and were developed as carriers of drugs for a transdermal drug delivery system. Four types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with varying water solubility property, i.e. sodium salicylate (freely soluble in water), diclofenac sodium (sparingly soluble in water), naproxen (NAP), and indomethacin (IND) (both insoluble in water), were selected as model drugs. The morphological appearance of the drug-loaded electrospun PVA mats depended on the nature of the model drugs. The 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance results confirmed that the electrospinning process did not affect the chemical integrity of the drugs. Thermal properties of the drug-loaded electrospun PVA mats were analysed by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The molecular weight of the model drugs played a major role on both the rate and the total amount of drugs released from the as-prepared drug-loaded electrospun PVA mats, with the rate and the total amount of the drugs released decreasing with increasing molecular weight of the drugs. Lastly, the drug-loaded electrospun PVA mats exhibited much better release characteristics of the model drugs than drug-loaded as-cast films.

Influence of the structure of poly (L-lactic acid) electrospun fibers on the bioactivity of endothelial cells: proliferation and inflammatory cytokines expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Xiazhi; Wu, Keke; Yang, Wufeng; Jiao, Yanpeng; Zhou, Changren

2017-02-01

Electrospinning has been used to fabricate random and aligned poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) fibers with three kinds of diameter under optimal conditions. The main purpose of this paper was to investigate the influence of the diameter and orientation of fibers on the bioactivity of endothelial cells, especially on the inflammatory cytokines expression. The morphology of electrospun fibers and the cells on the fibers after 3 and 6 days culture were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Also the cell proliferation activity and cell cycle were tested and the results showed that the random fibers were more favorable for endothelial cells growth. The effect of PLLA film (served as a control) and six kinds of PLLA fibers mats on the inflammatory cytokines expression after cells incubated for 2 and 4 days were investigated. It was concluded that there was more intense inflammatory cytokines expression by cells on flat PLLA film than that on electrospun fiber mats. Also the fiber diameter has greater effect on the activity and inflammatory cytokines expression of endothelial cells than the fiber orientation, in which fibers with smaller size has weaker inflammatory reaction.

Electrospun Poly(lactic acid)-Based Fibrous Nanocomposite Reinforced by Cellulose Nanocrystals: Impact of Fiber Uniaxial Alignment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Huan, Siqi; Liu, Guoxiang; Cheng, Wanli; Han, Guangping; Bai, Long

2018-03-12

Uniform poly(lactic acid)/cellulose nanocrystal (PLA/CNC) fibrous mats composed of either random or aligned fibers reinforced with up to 20 wt % CNCs were successfully produced by two different electrospinning processes. Various concentrations of CNCs could be stably dispersed in PLA solution prior to fiber manufacture. The microstructure of produced fibrous mats, regardless of random or aligned orientation, was transformed from smooth to nanoporous surface by changing CNC loading levels. Aligning process through secondary stretching during high-speed collection can also affect the porous structure of fibers. With the same CNC loading, fibrous mats produced with aligned fibers had higher degree of crystallinity than that of fibers with random structure. The thermal properties and mechanical performances of PLA/CNC fibrous mats can be enhanced, showing better enhancement effect of aligned fibrous structure. This results from a synergistic effect of the increased crystallinity of fibers, the efficient stress transfer from PLA to CNCs, and the ordered arrangement of electrospun fibers in the mats. This research paves a way for developing an electrospinning system that can manufacture high-performance CNC-enhanced PLA fibrous nanocomposites.

The mechanical properties of dry, electrospun fibrinogen fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, Stephen; Sigley, Justin; Helms, Christine C. [Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109 (United States); Stitzel, Joel [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157 (United States); Berry, Joel; Bonin, Keith [Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109 (United States); Guthold, Martin, E-mail: gutholdm@wfu.edu [Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109 (United States)

2012-02-01

Due to their low immunogenicity, biodegradability and native cell-binding domains, fibrinogen fibers may be good candidates for tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery vehicles and other medical devices. We used a combined atomic force microscope (AFM)/optical microscope technique to study the mechanical properties of individual, electrospun fibrinogen fibers in dry, ambient conditions. The AFM was used to stretch individual fibers suspended over 13.5 {mu}m wide grooves in a transparent substrate. The optical microscope, located below the sample, was used to monitor the stretching process. Electrospun fibrinogen fibers (diameter, 30-200 nm) can stretch to 74% beyond their original length before rupturing at a stress of 2.1 GPa. They can stretch elastically up to 15% beyond their original length. Using incremental stress-strain curves the viscoelastic behavior of these fibers was determined. The total stretch modulus was 4.2 GPa while the relaxed elastic modulus was 3.7 GPa. When held at constant strain, fibrinogen fibers display stress relaxation with a fast and slow relaxation time of 1.2 s and 11 s. In comparison to native and electrospun collagen fibers, dry electrospun fibrinogen fibers are significantly more extensible and elastic. In comparison to wet electrospun fibrinogen fibers, dry fibers are about 1000 times stiffer. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fabricated dry, electrospun, fibrinogen fibers; average diameter, D{sub avg.} = 95 nm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Determined mechanical properties with combined atomic force/optical microscope. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fibers are very extensible ({epsilon}{sub max} = 74%) and elastic ({epsilon}{sub elastic} = 15%). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fiber total modulus, E{sub tot.} = 4.2 GPa; elastic modulus, E{sub el.} = 3.7 GPa. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fiber stress relaxation times: {tau}{sub 1} = 1.2 s and {tau}{sub 2} = 11 s.

The mechanical properties of dry, electrospun fibrinogen fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, Stephen; Sigley, Justin; Helms, Christine C.; Stitzel, Joel; Berry, Joel; Bonin, Keith; Guthold, Martin

2012-01-01

Due to their low immunogenicity, biodegradability and native cell-binding domains, fibrinogen fibers may be good candidates for tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery vehicles and other medical devices. We used a combined atomic force microscope (AFM)/optical microscope technique to study the mechanical properties of individual, electrospun fibrinogen fibers in dry, ambient conditions. The AFM was used to stretch individual fibers suspended over 13.5 μm wide grooves in a transparent substrate. The optical microscope, located below the sample, was used to monitor the stretching process. Electrospun fibrinogen fibers (diameter, 30–200 nm) can stretch to 74% beyond their original length before rupturing at a stress of 2.1 GPa. They can stretch elastically up to 15% beyond their original length. Using incremental stress–strain curves the viscoelastic behavior of these fibers was determined. The total stretch modulus was 4.2 GPa while the relaxed elastic modulus was 3.7 GPa. When held at constant strain, fibrinogen fibers display stress relaxation with a fast and slow relaxation time of 1.2 s and 11 s. In comparison to native and electrospun collagen fibers, dry electrospun fibrinogen fibers are significantly more extensible and elastic. In comparison to wet electrospun fibrinogen fibers, dry fibers are about 1000 times stiffer. - Highlights: ► Fabricated dry, electrospun, fibrinogen fibers; average diameter, D avg. = 95 nm. ► Determined mechanical properties with combined atomic force/optical microscope. ► Fibers are very extensible (ε max = 74%) and elastic (ε elastic = 15%). ► Fiber total modulus, E tot. = 4.2 GPa; elastic modulus, E el. = 3.7 GPa. ► Fiber stress relaxation times: τ 1 = 1.2 s and τ 2 = 11 s.

Poly(L-lactide)/halloysite nanotube electrospun mats as dual-drug delivery systems and their therapeutic efficacy in infected full-thickness burns.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiazhi; Guo, Rui; Xu, Jiqing; Lan, Yong; Jiao, Yanpeng; Zhou, Changren; Zhao, Yaowu

2015-11-01

In this study, poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/halloysite nanotube (HNT) electrospun mats were prepared as a dual-drug delivery system. HNTs were used to encapsulate polymyxin B sulphate (a hydrophilic drug). Dexamethasone (a hydrophobic drug) was directly dissolved in the PLLA solution. The drug-loaded HNTs with optimised encapsulation efficiency were then mixed with the PLLA solution for subsequent electrospinning to form composite dual-drug-loaded fibre mats. The structure, morphology, degradability and mechanical properties of the electrospun composite mats were characterised in detail. The results showed that the HNTs were uniformly distributed in the composite PLLA mats. The HNTs content in the mats could change the morphology and average diameter of the electrospun fibres. The HNTs improved both the tensile strength of the PLLA electrospun mats and their degradation ratio. The drug-release kinetics of the electrospun mats were investigated using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The HNTs/PLLA ratio could be varied to adjust the release of polymyxin B sulphate and dexamethasone. The antibacterial activity in vitro of the mats was evaluated using agar diffusion and turbidimetry tests, which indicated the antibacterial efficacy of the dual-drug delivery system against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Healing in vivo of infected full-thickness burns and infected wounds was investigated by macroscopic observation, histological observation and immunohistochemical staining. The results indicated that the electrospun mats were capable of co-loading and co-delivering hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, and could potentially be used as novel antibacterial wound dressings. © The Author(s) 2015.

Enhanced Piezoelectricity in a Robust and Harmonious Multilayer Assembly of Electrospun Nanofiber Mats and Microbead-Based Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young Won; Lee, Han Bit; Yeon, Si Mo; Park, Jeanho; Lee, Hye Jin; Yoon, Jonghun; Park, Suk Hee

2018-02-14

Here, we present a simple yet highly efficient method to enhance the output performance of a piezoelectric device containing electrospun nanofiber mats. Multiple nanofiber mats were assembled together to harness larger piezoelectric sources in the as-spun fibers, thereby providing enhanced voltage and current outputs compared to those of a single-mat device. In addition to the multilayer assembly, microbead-based electrodes were integrated with the nanofiber mats to deliver a complexed compression and tension force excitation to the piezoelectric layers. A vacuum-packing process was performed to attain a tight and well-organized assembly of the device components even though the total thickness was several millimeters. The integrated piezoelectric device exhibited a maximum voltage and current of 10.4 V and 2.3 μA, respectively. Furthermore, the robust integrity of the device components could provide high-precision sensitivity to perceive small pressures down to approximately 100 Pa while retaining a linear input-output relationship.

Enhanced dechlorination of trichloroethylene using electrospun polymer nanofibrous mats immobilized with iron/palladium bimetallic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Hui [State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Huang, Yunpeng; Shen, Mingwu; Guo, Rui; Cao, Xueyan [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Shi, Xiangyang, E-mail: xshi@dhu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); CQM - Centro de Quimica da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9000-390 Funchal (Portugal)

2012-04-15

Fe/Pd bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have held great promise for treating trichloroethylene (TCE)-contaminated groundwater, without the accumulation of chlorinated intermediates. However, the conventionally used colloidal Fe/Pd NPs usually aggregate rapidly, resulting in a reduced reactivity. To reduce the particle aggregation, we employed electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer nanofibers as a nanoreactor to immobilize Fe/Pd bimetallic NPs. In the study, the water-stable PAA/PVA nanofibrous mats were complexed with Fe (III) ions via the binding with the free carboxyl groups of PAA for subsequent formation and immobilization of zero-valent iron (ZVI) NPs. Fe/Pd bimetallic NPs were then formed by the partial reduction of Pd(II) ions with ZVI NPs. The formed electrospun nanofibrous mats containing Fe/Pd bimetallic NPs with a diameter of 2.8 nm were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. The Fe/Pd NP-containing electrospun PAA/PVA nanofibrous mats exhibited higher reactivity than that of the ZVI NP-containing mats or colloidal Fe/Pd NPs in the dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE), which was used as a model contaminant. With the high surface area to volume ratio, high porosity, and great reusability of the fibrous mats immobilized with the bimetallic NPs, the composite nanofibrous mats should be amenable for applications in remediation of various environmental contaminants.

Enhanced dechlorination of trichloroethylene using electrospun polymer nanofibrous mats immobilized with iron/palladium bimetallic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Hui; Huang, Yunpeng; Shen, Mingwu; Guo, Rui; Cao, Xueyan; Shi, Xiangyang

2012-01-01

Fe/Pd bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have held great promise for treating trichloroethylene (TCE)-contaminated groundwater, without the accumulation of chlorinated intermediates. However, the conventionally used colloidal Fe/Pd NPs usually aggregate rapidly, resulting in a reduced reactivity. To reduce the particle aggregation, we employed electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer nanofibers as a nanoreactor to immobilize Fe/Pd bimetallic NPs. In the study, the water-stable PAA/PVA nanofibrous mats were complexed with Fe (III) ions via the binding with the free carboxyl groups of PAA for subsequent formation and immobilization of zero-valent iron (ZVI) NPs. Fe/Pd bimetallic NPs were then formed by the partial reduction of Pd(II) ions with ZVI NPs. The formed electrospun nanofibrous mats containing Fe/Pd bimetallic NPs with a diameter of 2.8 nm were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. The Fe/Pd NP-containing electrospun PAA/PVA nanofibrous mats exhibited higher reactivity than that of the ZVI NP-containing mats or colloidal Fe/Pd NPs in the dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE), which was used as a model contaminant. With the high surface area to volume ratio, high porosity, and great reusability of the fibrous mats immobilized with the bimetallic NPs, the composite nanofibrous mats should be amenable for applications in remediation of various environmental contaminants.

Mucoadhesive electrospun chitosan-based nanofibre mats for dental caries prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Samprasit, Wipada; Kaomongkolgit, Ruchadaporn; Sukma, Monrudee; Rojanarata, Theerasak; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait; Opanasopit, Praneet

2015-03-06

The mucoadhesive electrospun nanofibre mats were developed using chitosan (CS) and thiolated chitosan (CS-SH) as mucoadhesive polymers. Garcinia mangostana (GM) extract was incorporated into nanofibre mats. The antibacterial activity in the single and combined agents was evaluated against dental caries pathogens. The morphology of mats was observed using SEM. The mats were evaluated for GM extract amount, mucoadhesion, in vitro release, antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. The mucoadhesion and antibacterial activity were determined in healthy human volunteers. The prepared mats were in nanoscale with good physical and mucoadhesive properties. The CS-SH caused the higher mucoadhesion. All mats rapidly released active substances, which had the synergistic antibacterial activity. In addition, the reduction of bacteria and good mucoadhesion in the oral cavity occurred without cytotoxicity. The results suggest that mats have the potential to be mucoadhesive dosage forms to maintain oral hygiene by reducing the bacterial growth that causes the dental caries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Saponification Condition on the Morphology and Diameter of the Electrospun Poly(vinyl acetate) Nanofibers for the Fabrication of Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanofiber Mats

OpenAIRE

Seong Baek Yang; Jong Won Kim; Jeong Hyun Yeum

2016-01-01

Novel poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofiber mats were prepared for the first time through heterogeneous saponification of electrospun poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) nanofibers. The effect of varying the saponification conditions, including temperature, time, and concentration of the alkaline solution, on the morphology of the saponified PVA fibers were evaluated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. At 25 °C, the saponified PVA fibers exhibited a broad diameter distribution. The average f...

κ-Carrageenan Enhances the Biomineralization and Osteogenic Differentiation of Electrospun Polyhydroxybutyrate and Polyhydroxybutyrate Valerate Fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Goonoo, Nowsheen; Khanbabaee, Behnam; Steuber, Marc; Bhaw-Luximon, Archana; Jonas, Ulrich; Pietsch, Ullrich; Jhurry, Dhanjay; Schönherr, Holger

2017-05-08

Novel electrospun materials for bone tissue engineering were obtained by blending biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) or polyhydroxybutyrate valerate (PHBV) with the anionic sulfated polysaccharide κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) in varying ratios. In both systems, the two components phase separated as shown by FTIR, DSC and TGA. According to the contact angle data, κ-CG was localized preferentially at the fiber surface in PHBV/κ-CG blends in contrast to PHB/κ-CG, where the biopolymer was mostly found within the fiber. In contrast to the neat polyester fibers, the blends led to the formation of much smaller apatite crystals (800 nm vs 7 μm). According to the MTT assay, NIH3T3 cells grew in higher density on the blend mats in comparison to neat polyester mats. The osteogenic differentiation potential of the fibers was determined by SaOS-2 cell culture for 2 weeks. Alizarin red-S staining suggested an improved mineralization on the blend fibers. Thus, PHBV/κ-CG fibers resulted in more pronounced bioactive and osteogenic properties, including fast apatite-forming ability and deposition of nanosized apatite crystals.

Electrospun gelatin fiber mats containing a herbal—Centella asiatica—extract and release characteristic of asiaticoside

Science.gov (United States)

Sikareepaisan, Panprung; Suksamrarn, Apichart; Supaphol, Pitt

2008-01-01

Ultra-fine gelatin (type A, porcine skin, ~180 Bloom) fiber mats containing a methanolic crude extract of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, a medicinal plant widely known for its traditional medical applications including its wound healing ability, were fabricated, for the first time, from the neat gelatin solution (22% w/v in 70 vol% acetic acid) containing the crude extract (mCA) in various amounts (i.e. 5-30 wt% based on the weight of gelatin powder) by electrospinning. Incorporation of mCA in the neat gelatin solution did not affect both the morphology and the size of the mCA-loaded gelatin fibers, as both of the neat and the mCA-loaded gelatin fibers were smooth and the average diameters of these fibers ranged between 226 and 232 nm. The cross-linked mCA-loaded e-spun gelatin fiber mat from the neat gelatin solution containing 30 wt% of mCA was further investigated for the release characteristic of asiaticoside, identified as the most active compound associated with the healing of wounds, in two different types of releasing medium, i.e. acetate buffer and the buffer containing 10 vol% of methanol, based on the thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-densitometry technique. Based on the unit weight of the actual amount of asiaticoside present in the specimens, the total amount of asiaticoside released from the fiber mat specimens was lower than that from the film counterparts while, based on the unit weight of the specimens, an opposite trend was observed.

Electrospun gelatin fiber mats containing a herbal-Centella asiatica-extract and release characteristic of asiaticoside

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sikareepaisan, Panprung; Suksamrarn, Apichart; Supaphol, Pitt

2008-01-01

Ultra-fine gelatin (type A, porcine skin, ∼180 Bloom) fiber mats containing a methanolic crude extract of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, a medicinal plant widely known for its traditional medical applications including its wound healing ability, were fabricated, for the first time, from the neat gelatin solution (22% w/v in 70 vol% acetic acid) containing the crude extract (mCA) in various amounts (i.e. 5-30 wt% based on the weight of gelatin powder) by electrospinning. Incorporation of mCA in the neat gelatin solution did not affect both the morphology and the size of the mCA-loaded gelatin fibers, as both of the neat and the mCA-loaded gelatin fibers were smooth and the average diameters of these fibers ranged between 226 and 232 nm. The cross-linked mCA-loaded e-spun gelatin fiber mat from the neat gelatin solution containing 30 wt% of mCA was further investigated for the release characteristic of asiaticoside, identified as the most active compound associated with the healing of wounds, in two different types of releasing medium, i.e. acetate buffer and the buffer containing 10 vol% of methanol, based on the thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-densitometry technique. Based on the unit weight of the actual amount of asiaticoside present in the specimens, the total amount of asiaticoside released from the fiber mat specimens was lower than that from the film counterparts while, based on the unit weight of the specimens, an opposite trend was observed

Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffolds with Gradations in Fiber Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Khandalavala, Karl; Jiang, Jiang; Shuler, Franklin D.; Xie, Jingwei

2015-01-01

The goal of this protocol is to report a simple method for generating nanofiber scaffolds with gradations in fiber organization and test their possible applications in controlling cell morphology/orientation. Nanofiber organization is controlled with a new fabrication apparatus that enables the gradual decrease of fiber organization in a scaffold. Changing the alignment of fibers is achieved through decreasing deposition time of random electrospun fibers on a uniaxially aligned fiber mat. By covering the collector with a moving barrier/mask, along the same axis as fiber deposition, the organizational structure is easily controlled. For tissue engineering purposes, adipose-derived stem cells can be seeded to these scaffolds. Stem cells undergo morphological changes as a result of their position on the varied organizational structure, and can potentially differentiate into different cell types depending on their locations. Additionally, the graded organization of fibers enhances the biomimicry of nanofiber scaffolds so they more closely resemble the natural orientations of collagen nanofibers at tendon-to-bone insertion site compared to traditional scaffolds. Through nanoencapsulation, the gradated fibers also afford the possibility to construct chemical gradients in fiber scaffolds, and thereby further strengthen their potential applications in fast screening of cell-materials interaction and interfacial tissue regeneration. This technique enables the production of continuous gradient scaffolds, but it also can potentially produce fibers in discrete steps by controlling the movement of the moving barrier/mask in a discrete fashion. PMID:25938562

Cell proliferation on PVA/sodium alginate and PVA/poly(γ-glutamic acid) electrospun fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jen Ming; Yang, Jhe Hao; Tsou, Shu Chun; Ding, Chian Hua; Hsu, Chih Chin; Yang, Kai Chiang; Yang, Chun Chen; Chen, Ko Shao; Chen, Szi Wen; Wang, Jong Shyan

2016-09-01

To overcome the obstacles of easy dissolution of PVA nanofibers without crosslinking treatment and the poor electrospinnability of the PVA cross-linked nanofibers via electrospinning process, the PVA based electrospun hydrogel nanofibers are prepared with post-crosslinking method. To expect the electrospun hydrogel fibers might be a promising scaffold for cell culture and tissue engineering applications, the evaluation of cell proliferation on the post-crosslinking electrospun fibers is conducted in this study. At beginning, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), PVA/sodium alginate (PVASA) and PVA/poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PVAPGA) electrospun fibers were prepared by electrospinning method. The electrospun PVA, PVASA and PVAPGA nanofibers were treated with post-cross-linking method with glutaraldehyde (Glu) as crosslinking agent. These electrospun fibers were characterized with thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and their morphologies were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). To support the evaluation and explanation of cell growth on the fiber, the study of 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell growth on the surface of pure PVA, SA, and PGA thin films is conducted. The proliferation of 3T3 on the electrospun fiber surface of PVA, PVASA, and PVAPGA was evaluated by seeding 3T3 fibroblast cells on these crosslinked electrospun fibers. The cell viability on electrospun fibers was conducted with water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay (Cell Proliferation Reagent WST-1). The morphology of the cells on the fibers was also observed with SEM. The results of WST-1 assay revealed that 3T3 cells cultured on different electrospun fibers had similar viability, and the cell viability increased with time for all electrospun fibers. From the morphology of the cells on electrospun fibers, it is found that 3T3 cells attached on all electrospun fiber after 1day seeded. Cell-cell communication was noticed on day 3 for all electrospun fibers. Extracellular matrix (ECM) productions were found and

Cell proliferation on PVA/sodium alginate and PVA/poly(γ-glutamic acid) electrospun fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jen Ming; Yang, Jhe Hao; Tsou, Shu Chun; Ding, Chian Hua; Hsu, Chih Chin; Yang, Kai Chiang; Yang, Chun Chen; Chen, Ko Shao; Chen, Szi Wen; Wang, Jong Shyan

2016-01-01

To overcome the obstacles of easy dissolution of PVA nanofibers without crosslinking treatment and the poor electrospinnability of the PVA cross-linked nanofibers via electrospinning process, the PVA based electrospun hydrogel nanofibers are prepared with post-crosslinking method. To expect the electrospun hydrogel fibers might be a promising scaffold for cell culture and tissue engineering applications, the evaluation of cell proliferation on the post-crosslinking electrospun fibers is conducted in this study. At beginning, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), PVA/sodium alginate (PVASA) and PVA/poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PVAPGA) electrospun fibers were prepared by electrospinning method. The electrospun PVA, PVASA and PVAPGA nanofibers were treated with post-cross-linking method with glutaraldehyde (Glu) as crosslinking agent. These electrospun fibers were characterized with thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and their morphologies were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). To support the evaluation and explanation of cell growth on the fiber, the study of 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell growth on the surface of pure PVA, SA, and PGA thin films is conducted. The proliferation of 3T3 on the electrospun fiber surface of PVA, PVASA, and PVAPGA was evaluated by seeding 3T3 fibroblast cells on these crosslinked electrospun fibers. The cell viability on electrospun fibers was conducted with water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay (Cell Proliferation Reagent WST-1). The morphology of the cells on the fibers was also observed with SEM. The results of WST-1 assay revealed that 3T3 cells cultured on different electrospun fibers had similar viability, and the cell viability increased with time for all electrospun fibers. From the morphology of the cells on electrospun fibers, it is found that 3T3 cells attached on all electrospun fiber after 1 day seeded. Cell–cell communication was noticed on day 3 for all electrospun fibers. Extracellular matrix (ECM) productions were found and

Cell proliferation on PVA/sodium alginate and PVA/poly(γ-glutamic acid) electrospun fiber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jen Ming, E-mail: jmyang@mail.cgu.edu.tw [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, ROC (China); Yang, Jhe Hao [Department of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC (China); Tsou, Shu Chun; Ding, Chian Hua [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, ROC (China); Hsu, Chih Chin [Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Keelung, Taiwan, ROC (China); School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC (China); Yang, Kai Chiang [School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan, ROC (China); Yang, Chun Chen [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming-Chi University of Science and Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Ko Shao [Department of Materials Engineering, Tatung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Szi Wen [Department of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Jong Shyan [Department of Physical Therapy and the Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2016-09-01

To overcome the obstacles of easy dissolution of PVA nanofibers without crosslinking treatment and the poor electrospinnability of the PVA cross-linked nanofibers via electrospinning process, the PVA based electrospun hydrogel nanofibers are prepared with post-crosslinking method. To expect the electrospun hydrogel fibers might be a promising scaffold for cell culture and tissue engineering applications, the evaluation of cell proliferation on the post-crosslinking electrospun fibers is conducted in this study. At beginning, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), PVA/sodium alginate (PVASA) and PVA/poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PVAPGA) electrospun fibers were prepared by electrospinning method. The electrospun PVA, PVASA and PVAPGA nanofibers were treated with post-cross-linking method with glutaraldehyde (Glu) as crosslinking agent. These electrospun fibers were characterized with thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and their morphologies were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). To support the evaluation and explanation of cell growth on the fiber, the study of 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell growth on the surface of pure PVA, SA, and PGA thin films is conducted. The proliferation of 3T3 on the electrospun fiber surface of PVA, PVASA, and PVAPGA was evaluated by seeding 3T3 fibroblast cells on these crosslinked electrospun fibers. The cell viability on electrospun fibers was conducted with water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay (Cell Proliferation Reagent WST-1). The morphology of the cells on the fibers was also observed with SEM. The results of WST-1 assay revealed that 3T3 cells cultured on different electrospun fibers had similar viability, and the cell viability increased with time for all electrospun fibers. From the morphology of the cells on electrospun fibers, it is found that 3T3 cells attached on all electrospun fiber after 1 day seeded. Cell–cell communication was noticed on day 3 for all electrospun fibers. Extracellular matrix (ECM) productions were found and

Post-processing optimization of electrospun submicron poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) fibers to obtain continuous films of interest in food packaging applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherpinski, Adriane; Torres-Giner, Sergio; Cabedo, Luis; Lagaron, Jose M

2017-10-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are one of the most researched family of biodegradable polymers based on renewable materials due to their thermoplastic nature and moisture resistance. The present study was targeted to investigate the preparation and characterization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) films obtained through the electrospinning technique. To convert them into continuous films and then to increase their application interest in packaging, the electrospun fiber mats were subsequently post-processed by different physical treatments. Thus, the effect of annealing time and cooling method on morphology, molecular order, thermal, optical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the electrospun submicron PHB fibers was studied. Annealing at 160°C, well below the homopolyester melting point, was found to be the minimum temperature at which homogeneous transparent films were produced. The film samples that were cooled slowly after annealing showed the lowest permeability to oxygen, water vapor, and limonene. The optimally post-processed electrospun PHB fibers exhibited similar rigidity to conventional compression-molded PHA films, but with enhanced elongation at break and toughness. Films made by this electrospinning technique have many potential applications, such as in the design of barrier layers, adhesive interlayers, and coatings for fiber- and plastic-based food packaging materials.

Electrospinning of doxorubicin loaded silica/poly(ɛ-caprolactone) hybrid fiber mats for sustained drug release

Science.gov (United States)

El Gohary, Mohammed I.; El Hady, Bothaina M. Abd; Saeed, Aziza A. Al; Tolba, Emad; El Rashedi, Ahlam M. I.; Saleh, Safaa

2018-06-01

Loading of anticancer drugs into electrospun fiber matrices is a portentous approach for clinical treatment of diseased tissues or organs. In this study, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) is added to silica nanoparticles () during the formation of via the sol-gel approach. The obtained nanoparticles are then added to poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blend before electrospinning process via different methods. The effects of DOX addition as a free form or as nanoparticles on physical and chemical properties of obtained PCL-PEO fibers, as well as release profiles are evaluated to give a continual DOX release for several days. The morphology observed with scanning electron microscope (FESEM) revealed significant changes in the average diameter of obtained fibers ranging from 2164 nm to 659 nm and distribution of drug-loaded nanoparticles in the final mats according to the mode of additions. With the same manner, the releasing performances of obtained mats are quite different. Therefore, fabrication of drug loaded mats would offer a powerful approach to minimize serious side effects for clinical patients and allows us to control the drug concentration in the bloodstream.

Electrospun Ceramic Nanofiber Mats Today: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Esfahani, Hamid; Ramakrishna, Seeram

2017-01-01

Ceramic nanofibers (NFs) have recently been developed for advanced applications due to their unique properties. In this article, we review developments in electrospun ceramic NFs with regard to their fabrication process, properties, and applications. We find that surface activity of electrospun ceramic NFs is improved by post pyrolysis, hydrothermal, and carbothermal processes. Also, when combined with another surface modification methods, electrospun ceramic NFs result in the advancement of properties and widening of the application domains. With the decrease in diameter and length of a fiber, many properties of fibrous materials are modified; characteristics of such ceramic NFs are different from their wide and long (bulk) counterparts. In this article, electrospun ceramic NFs are reviewed with an emphasis on their applications as catalysts, membranes, sensors, biomaterials, fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, energy harvesting systems, electric and magnetic parts, conductive wires, and wearable electronic textiles. Furthermore, properties of ceramic nanofibers, which enable the above applications, and techniques to characterize them are briefly outlined. PMID:29077074

Electrospun Ceramic Nanofiber Mats Today: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Esfahani

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Ceramic nanofibers (NFs have recently been developed for advanced applications due to their unique properties. In this article, we review developments in electrospun ceramic NFs with regard to their fabrication process, properties, and applications. We find that surface activity of electrospun ceramic NFs is improved by post pyrolysis, hydrothermal, and carbothermal processes. Also, when combined with another surface modification methods, electrospun ceramic NFs result in the advancement of properties and widening of the application domains. With the decrease in diameter and length of a fiber, many properties of fibrous materials are modified; characteristics of such ceramic NFs are different from their wide and long (bulk counterparts. In this article, electrospun ceramic NFs are reviewed with an emphasis on their applications as catalysts, membranes, sensors, biomaterials, fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, energy harvesting systems, electric and magnetic parts, conductive wires, and wearable electronic textiles. Furthermore, properties of ceramic nanofibers, which enable the above applications, and techniques to characterize them are briefly outlined.

Genipin cross-linked electrospun chitosan-based nanofibrous mat as tissue engineering scaffold

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Esmaeil Mirzaei

2014-04-01

Full Text Available   Objective(s: To improve water stability of electrospun chitosan/ Polyethylene oxide (PEO nanofibers, genipin, a biocompatible and nontoxic agent, was used to crosslink chitosan based nanofibers.   Materials and Methods: Different amounts of genipin were added to the chitosan/PEO solutions, chitosan/PEO weight ratio 90/10 in 80 % acetic acid, and the solutions were then electrospun to form nanofibers. The spun nanofibers were exposed to water vapor to complete crosslinking. The nanofibrous membranes were subjected to detailed analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, swelling test, MTT cytotoxicity, and cell attachment. Results: SEM images of electrospun mats showed that genipin-crosslinked nanofibers retained their fibrous structure after immerging in PBS (pH=7.4 for 24 hours, while the uncrosslinked samples lost their fibrous structure, indicating the water stability of genipin-crosslinked nanofibers. The genipin-crosslinked mats also showed no significant change in swelling ratio in comparison with uncrosslinked ones. FTIR-ATR spectrum of uncrosslinked and genipin-crosslinked chitosan nanofibers revealed the reaction between genipin and amino groups of chitosan. Cytotoxicity of genipin-crosslinked nanofibers was examined by MTT assay on human fibroblast cells in the presence of nanofibers extraction media. The genipin-crosslinked nanofibers did not show any toxic effects on fibroblast cells at the lowest and moderate amount of genipin. The fibroblast cells also showed a good adhesion on genipin-crosslinked nanofibers. Conclusion: This electrospun matrix would be used for biomedical applications such as wound dressing and scaffold for tissue engineering without the concern of toxicity.

Modifying an Active Compound’s Release Kinetic Using a Supercritical Impregnation Process to Incorporate an Active Agent into PLA Electrospun Mats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carol López de Dicastillo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this work was to study the release of cinnamaldehyde (CIN from electrospun poly lactic acid (e-PLA mats obtained through two techniques: (i direct incorporation of active compound during the electrospinning process (e-PLA-CIN; and (ii supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2 impregnation of CIN within electrospun PLA mats (e-PLA/CINimp. The development and characterization of both of these active electrospun mats were investigated with the main purpose of modifying the release kinetic of this active compound. Morphological, structural, and thermal properties of these materials were also studied, and control mats e-PLA and e- PLA CO 2 were developed in order to understand the effect of electrospinning and scCO2 impregnation, respectively, on PLA properties. Both strategies of incorporation of this active compound into PLA matrix resulted in different morphologies that influenced chemical and physical properties of these composites and in different release kinetics of CIN. The electrospinning and scCO2 impregnation processes and the presence of CIN altered PLA thermal and structural properties when compared to an extruded PLA material. The incorporation of CIN through scCO2 impregnation resulted in higher release rate and lower diffusion coefficients when compared to active electrospun mats with CIN incorporated during the electrospinning process.

Electrospun silk-elastin-like fibre mats for tissue engineering applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machado, Raul; Da Costa, André; Padrão, Jorge; Gomes, Andreia; Casal, Margarida; Sencadas, Vitor; Costa, Carlos M; Lanceros-Méndez, Senentxu; Garcia-Arévalo, Carmen; Rodríguez-Cabello, José Carlos

2013-01-01

Protein-based polymers are present in a wide variety of organisms fulfilling structural and mechanical roles. Advances in protein engineering and recombinant DNA technology allow the design and production of recombinant protein-based polymers (rPBPs) with an absolute control of its composition. Although the application of recombinant proteins as biomaterials is still an emerging technology, the possibilities are limitless and far superior to natural or synthetic materials, as the complexity of the structural design can be fully customized. In this work, we report the electrospinning of two new genetically engineered silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs) consisting of alternate silk- and elastin-like blocks. Electrospinning was performed with formic acid and aqueous solutions at different concentrations without addition of further agents. The size and morphology of the electrospun structures was characterized by scanning electron microscopy showing its dependence on the concentration and solvent used. Treatment with methanol-saturated air was employed to stabilize the structure and promote water insolubility through a time-dependent conversion of random coils into β-sheets (FTIR). The resultant methanol-treated electrospun mats were characterized for swelling degree (570–720%), water vapour transmission rate (1083 g/m 2 /day) and mechanical properties (modulus of elasticity ∼126 MPa). Furthermore, the methanol-treated SELP fibre mats showed no cytotoxicity and were able to support adhesion and proliferation of normal human skin fibroblasts. Adhesion was characterized by a filopodia-mediated mechanism. These results demonstrate that SELP fibre mats can provide promising solutions for the development of novel biomaterials suitable for tissue engineering applications. (paper)

Antimicrobial electrospun silver-, copper- and zinc-doped polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quirós, Jennifer; Borges, João P.; Boltes, Karina; Rodea-Palomares, Ismael; Rosal, Roberto

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers containing silver, copper, and zinc. • Antimicrobial effect for the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. • Silver strongly reduced colony forming units and bacterial viability. • Silver, copper, and zinc led to a significant increase of non-viable cells on mats. - Abstract: The use of electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers containing silver, copper, and zinc nanoparticles was studied to prepare antimicrobial mats using silver and copper nitrates and zinc acetate as precursors. Silver became reduced during electrospinning and formed nanoparticles of several tens of nanometers. Silver nanoparticles and the insoluble forms of copper and zinc were dispersed using low molecular weight PVP as capping agent. High molecular weight PVP formed uniform fibers with a narrow distribution of diameters around 500 nm. The fibers were converted into an insoluble network using ultraviolet irradiation crosslinking. The efficiency of metal-loaded mats against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was tested for different metal loadings by measuring the inhibition of colony forming units and the staining with fluorescent probes for metabolic viability and compromised membranes. The assays included the culture in contact with mats and the direct staining of surface attached microorganisms. The results indicated a strong inhibition for silver-loaded fibers and the absence of significant amounts of viable but non-culturable microorganisms. Copper and zinc-loaded mats also decreased the metabolic activity and cell viability, although in a lesser extent. Metal-loaded fibers allowed the slow release of the soluble forms of the three metals.

Antimicrobial electrospun silver-, copper- and zinc-doped polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quirós, Jennifer [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Borges, João P. [CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Boltes, Karina [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies of Water (IMDEA Agua), Parque Científico Tecnológico, E-28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Rodea-Palomares, Ismael [Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Rosal, Roberto [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies of Water (IMDEA Agua), Parque Científico Tecnológico, E-28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid (Spain)

2015-12-15

Highlights: • Electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers containing silver, copper, and zinc. • Antimicrobial effect for the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. • Silver strongly reduced colony forming units and bacterial viability. • Silver, copper, and zinc led to a significant increase of non-viable cells on mats. - Abstract: The use of electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers containing silver, copper, and zinc nanoparticles was studied to prepare antimicrobial mats using silver and copper nitrates and zinc acetate as precursors. Silver became reduced during electrospinning and formed nanoparticles of several tens of nanometers. Silver nanoparticles and the insoluble forms of copper and zinc were dispersed using low molecular weight PVP as capping agent. High molecular weight PVP formed uniform fibers with a narrow distribution of diameters around 500 nm. The fibers were converted into an insoluble network using ultraviolet irradiation crosslinking. The efficiency of metal-loaded mats against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was tested for different metal loadings by measuring the inhibition of colony forming units and the staining with fluorescent probes for metabolic viability and compromised membranes. The assays included the culture in contact with mats and the direct staining of surface attached microorganisms. The results indicated a strong inhibition for silver-loaded fibers and the absence of significant amounts of viable but non-culturable microorganisms. Copper and zinc-loaded mats also decreased the metabolic activity and cell viability, although in a lesser extent. Metal-loaded fibers allowed the slow release of the soluble forms of the three metals.

Electrospun magnetic nanofibre mats – A new bondable biomaterial using remotely activated magnetic heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, Yi [Department of Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada); Key Laboratory of Science & Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai (China); Leung, Victor; Yuqin Wan, Lynn [Department of Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada); Dutz, Silvio [Institut für Biomedizinische Technik und Informatik, Technische Universität Ilmenau (Germany); Department of Nano Biophotonics, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena (Germany); Ko, Frank K., E-mail: frank.ko@ubc.ca [Department of Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada); Häfeli, Urs O., E-mail: urs.hafeli@ubc.ca [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)

2015-04-15

A solvothermal process was adopted to produce hydrophilic magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles which were subsequently emulsified with a chloroform/methanol (70/30 v/v) solution of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) and then electrospun into a 0.2 mm thick PCL mat. The magnetic heating of the mats at a field amplitude of 25 kA/m and frequency of 400 kHz exhibited promising efficiency for magnetic hyperthermia, with a specific absorption rate of about 40 W/g for the magnetic mat. The produced heat was used to melt the magnetic mat onto the surrounding non-magnetic polymer mat from within, without destroying the nanostructure of the non-magnetic polymer more than 0.5 mm away. Magnetic nanofibre mats might thus be useful for internal heat sealing applications, and potentially also for thermotherapy.

Lipid-mediated protein functionalization of electrospun polycaprolactone fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Cohn

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In this study, electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL fibers are plasma-treated and chemically conjugated with cholesteryl succinyl silane (CSS. In addition to Raman spectroscopy, an immobilization study of DiO as a fluorescent probe of lipid membranes provides evidence supporting the CSS coating of plasma-treated PCL fibers. Further, anti-CD20 antibodies are used as a model protein to evaluate the potential of lipid-mediated protein immobilization as a mechanism to functionalize the CSS-PCL fiber scaffolds. Upon anti-CD20 functionalization, the CSS-PCL fiber scaffolds capture Granta-22 cells 2.4 times more than the PCL control does, although the two fiber scaffolds immobilize a comparable amount of anti-CD20. Taken together, results from the present study demonstrate that the CSS coating and CSS-mediated antibody immobilization offers an appealing strategy to functionalize electrospun synthetic polymer fibers and confer cell-specific functions on the fiber scaffolds, which can be mechanically robust but often lack biological functions.

Align and random electrospun mat of PEDOT:PSS and PEDOT:PSS/RGO

Science.gov (United States)

Sarabi, Ghazale Asghari; Latifi, Masoud; Bagherzadeh, Roohollah

2018-01-01

In this research work we fabricated two ultrafine conductive nanofibrous layers to investigate the materilas composition and their properties for the preparation of supercapacitor materials application. In first layer, a polymer and a conductive polymer were used and second layer was a composition of polymer, conductive polymer and carbon-base material. In both cases align and randomized mat of conductive nanofibers were fabricated using electrospinning set up. Conductive poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/ polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) nanofibers were electrospun by dissolving fiber-forming polymer and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in an aqueous dispersion of PEDOT:PSS. The effect of addition of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was considered for nanocomposite layer. The ultrafine conductive polymer fibers and conductive nanocomposite fibrous materials were also fabricated using an electrospinning process. A fixed collector and a rotating drum were used for random and align nanofibers production, respectively. The resulted fibers were characterized and analyzed by SEM, FTIR and two-point probe conductivity test. The average diameter of nanofibers measured by ImageJ software indicated that the average fiber diameter for first layer was 100 nm and for nanocomposite layer was about 85 nm. The presence of PEDOT:PSS and RGO in the nanofibers was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The conductivity of align and random layers was characterized. The conductivity of PEDOT:PSS nanofibers showed higher enhancement by addition of RGO in aqueous dispersion. The obtained results showed that alignment of fibrous materials can be considered as an engineering tool for tuning the conductivity of fibrous materials for many different applications such as supercapacitors, conductive and transparent materials.

Enhancing the mechanical properties of electrospun polyester mats by heat treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kancheva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Microfibrous materials with a targeted design based on poly(L-lactic acid (PLA and poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL were prepared by electrospinning and by combining electrospinning and electrospraying. Several approaches were used: (i electrospinning of a common solution of the two polymers, (ii simultaneous electrospinning of two separate solutions of PLA and PCL, (iii electrospinning of PLA solution in conjunction with electrospraying of PCL solution, and (iv alternating layer-by-layer deposition by electrospinning of separate PLA and PCL solutions. The mats were heated at the melting temperature of PCL (60°", thus achieving melting of PCL fibers/particles and thermal sealing of the fibers. The mats subjected to thermal treatment were characterized by greater mean fiber diameters and reduced values of the water contact angle compared to the pristine mats. Heat treatment of the mats affected their thermal stability and led to an increase in the crystallinity degree of PLA incorporated in the mats, whereas that of PCL was reduced. All mats were characterized by enhanced mechanical properties after thermal treatment as compared to the non-treated fibrous materials.

All-textile flexible supercapacitors using electrospun poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanofibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laforgue, Alexis [Functional Polymer Systems Group, Industrial Materials Institute, National Research Council Canada, 75, de Mortagne Blvd, Boucherville, Quebec J4B 6Y4 (Canada)

2011-01-01

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanofibers were obtained by the combination of electrospinning and vapor-phase polymerization. The fibers had diameters around 350 nm, and were soldered at most intersections, providing a strong dimensional stability to the mats. The nanofiber mats demonstrated very high conductivity (60 {+-} 10 S cm{sup -1}, the highest value reported so far for polymer nanofibers) as well as improved electrochemical properties, due to the ultraporous nature of the electrospun mats. The mats were incorporated into all-textile flexible supercapacitors, using carbon cloths as the current collectors and electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membranes as the separator. The textile layers were stacked and embedded in a solid electrolyte containing an ionic liquid and PVDF-co-HFP as the host polymer. The resulting supercapacitors were totally flexible and demonstrated interesting and stable performances in ambient conditions. (author)

The effect of electrospun poly(lactic acid and nanohydroxyapatite nanofibers’ diameter on proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Doustgani

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objective(s: Electrospun nanofibrous mats of poly(lactic acid (PLA and nanohydroxyapatite (nano-HA were prepared and proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on the prepared nanofibers were investigated in this study. Materials and Methods: PLA/nano-HA nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning. The effects of process parameters, such as nano-HA concentration, distance, applied voltage, and flow rate on the mean diameter of electrospun nanofibers were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM was used to determine the mean fiber diameter of produced nanofibers. Mechanical propertes of nanofibrous mats were evaluated using a universal testing machine. Response surface methodology was used to model the fiber diameter of electrospun PLA/nano-HA nanofibers. Results: The average fiber diameter for optimized nanofibers was 125 ± 11 nm. MTT and ALP results showed that optimization of fiber diameter increased the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. Conclusion: It could be concluded that optimization of fiber diameter has beneficial effect on cell proliferation and differentiation. Optimized nanofibers of PLA/nano-HA could be good candidates for bone tissue engineering.

Controlled biomineralization of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) fibers to enhance their mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Jingwei; Zhong, Shaoping; Ma, Bing; Shuler, Franklin D; Lim, Chwee Teck

2013-03-01

Electrospun polymeric fibers have been investigated as scaffolding materials for bone tissue engineering. However, their mechanical properties, and in particular stiffness and ultimate tensile strength, cannot match those of natural bones. The objective of the study was to develop novel composite nanofiber scaffolds by attaching minerals to polymeric fibers using an adhesive material - the mussel-inspired protein polydopamine - as a "superglue". Herein, we report for the first time the use of dopamine to regulate mineralization of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers to enhance their mechanical properties. We examined the mineralization of the PCL fibers by adjusting the concentration of HCO(3)(-) and dopamine in the mineralized solution, the reaction time and the surface composition of the fibers. We also examined mineralization on the surface of polydopamine-coated PCL fibers. We demonstrated the control of morphology, grain size and thickness of minerals deposited on the surface of electrospun fibers. The obtained mineral coatings render electrospun fibers with much higher stiffness, ultimate tensile strength and toughness, which could be closer to the mechanical properties of natural bone. Such great enhancement of mechanical properties for electrospun fibers through mussel protein-mediated mineralization has not been seen previously. This study could also be extended to the fabrication of other composite materials to better bridge the interfaces between organic and inorganic phases. Copyright © 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexible all-fiber electrospun supercapacitor

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xinhua; Naylor Marlow, Max; Cooper, Samuel J.; Song, Bowen; Chen, Xiaolong; Brandon, Nigel P.; Wu, Billy

2018-04-01

We present an all-fiber flexible supercapacitor with composite nanofiber electrodes made via electrospinning and an electrospun separator. With the addition of manganese acetylacetonate (MnACAC) to polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a precursor for the electrospinning process and subsequent heat treatment, the performance of pure PAN supercapacitors was improved from 90 F g-1 to 200 F g-1 (2.5 mV s-1) with possible mass loadings of MnACAC demonstrated as high as 40 wt%. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that after thermal treatment, the MnACAC was converted to MnO, meanwile, the thermal decomposition of MnACAC increased the graphitic degree of the carbonised PAN. Scanning electron microscopy and image processing showed that static electrospinning of pure PAN and PAN-Mn resulted in fiber diameters of 460 nm and 480 nm respectively after carbonisation. Further analysis showed that the fiber orientation exhibited a slight bias which was amplified with the addition of MnACAC. Use of focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy tomography also showed that MnO particles were evenly distributed through the fiber at low MnACAC concentrations, while at a 40 wt% loading the MnO particles were also visible on the surface. Comparison of the electrospun separators showed improved performance relative to a commercial Celgard separator (200 F g-1 vs 141 F g-1).

Formation and characterization of magnetic barium ferrite hollow fibers with low coercivity via co-electrospun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Gui-fang, E-mail: guifang777@163.com; Zhang, Zi-dong, E-mail: 1986zzd@163.com; Dang, Feng, E-mail: dangfeng@sdu.edu.cn; Cheng, Chuan-bing, E-mail: 807033063@qq.com; Hou, Chuan-xin, E-mail: 710313782@qq.com; Liu, Si-da, E-mail: superliustar@hotmail.com

2016-08-15

BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} fibers and hollow fibers were successfully prepared by electrospun and co-electrospun. A very interesting result appeared in this study that hollow fibers made by co-electrospun showed low coercivity values of a few hundred oersteds, compared with the coercivity values of more than thousand oersteds for the fibers made by electrospun. So the hollow fibers with high saturation magnetization (M{sub s}) and while comparatively low coercivity (H{sub c}) exhibited strong magnetism and basically showed soft character. And this character for hollow fibers will lead to increase of the permeability for the samples which is favorable for impedance matching in microwave absorption. So these hollow fibers are promised to have use in a number of applications, such as switching and sensing applications, electromagnetic materials, microwave absorber. - Highlights: • BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} fibers were prepared via electrospinning successfully. • The coercivity has a value of a few hundred oersteds for the hollow fibers made by coaxial electrospun. • BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} with high saturation magnetization and low coercivity shows great potential in microwave absorbing application.

Halloysite nanotube-based electrospun ceramic nanofibre mat: a novel support for zeolite membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhuwen; Zeng, Jiaying; Lv, Dong; Gao, Jinqiang; Zhang, Jian; Bai, Shan; Li, Ruili; Hong, Mei; Wu, Jingshen

2016-12-01

Some key parameters of supports such as porosity, pore shape and size are of great importance for fabrication and performance of zeolite membranes. In this study, we fabricated millimetre-thick, self-standing electrospun ceramic nanofibre mats and employed them as a novel support for zeolite membranes. The nanofibre mats were prepared by electrospinning a halloysite nanotubes/polyvinyl pyrrolidone composite followed by a programmed sintering process. The interwoven nanofibre mats possess up to 80% porosity, narrow pore size distribution, low pore tortuosity and highly interconnected pore structure. Compared with the commercial α-Al2O3 supports prepared by powder compaction and sintering, the halloysite nanotube-based mats (HNMs) show higher flux, better adsorption of zeolite seeds, adhesion of zeolite membranes and lower Al leaching. Four types of zeolite membranes supported on HNMs have been successfully synthesized with either in situ crystallization or a secondary growth method, demonstrating good universality of HNMs for supporting zeolite membranes.

Electrodynamic tailoring of self-assembled three-dimensional electrospun constructs

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Tiago C.; Correia, Ilídio J.; Aguiar-Ricardo, Ana

2013-07-01

The rational design of three-dimensional electrospun constructs (3DECs) can lead to striking topographies and tailored shapes of electrospun materials. This new generation of materials is suppressing some of the current limitations of the usual 2D non-woven electrospun fiber mats, such as small pore sizes or only flat shaped constructs. Herein, we pursued an explanation for the self-assembly of 3DECs based on electrodynamic simulations and experimental validation. We concluded that the self-assembly process is driven by the establishment of attractive electrostatic forces between the positively charged aerial fibers and the already collected ones, which tend to acquire a negatively charged network oriented towards the nozzle. The in situ polarization degree is strengthened by higher amounts of clustered fibers, and therefore the initial high density fibrous regions are the preliminary motifs for the self-assembly mechanism. As such regions increase their in situ polarization electrostatic repulsive forces will appear, favoring a competitive growth of these self-assembled fibrous clusters. Highly polarized regions will evidence higher distances between consecutive micro-assembled fibers (MAFs). Different processing parameters - deposition time, electric field intensity, concentration of polymer solution, environmental temperature and relative humidity - were evaluated in an attempt to control material's design.The rational design of three-dimensional electrospun constructs (3DECs) can lead to striking topographies and tailored shapes of electrospun materials. This new generation of materials is suppressing some of the current limitations of the usual 2D non-woven electrospun fiber mats, such as small pore sizes or only flat shaped constructs. Herein, we pursued an explanation for the self-assembly of 3DECs based on electrodynamic simulations and experimental validation. We concluded that the self-assembly process is driven by the establishment of attractive

Beaded Fiber Mats of PVA Containing Unsaturated Heteropoly Salt

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Guo Cheng YANG; Yan PAN; Jian GONG; Chang Lu SHAO; Shang Bin WEN; Chen SHAO; Lun Yu QU

2004-01-01

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) fiber mats containing unsaturated heteropoly salt was prepared for the first time. IR, X-ray diffraction and SEM photographs characterized the beaded fiber mats.The viscoelasticity and the conductivity of the solution were the key factors that influence the formation of the beaded fiber mats.

Nanomechanics of electrospun phospholipid fiber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendes, Ana C., E-mail: anac@food.dtu.dk, E-mail: ioach@food.dtu.dk; Chronakis, Ioannis S., E-mail: anac@food.dtu.dk, E-mail: ioach@food.dtu.dk [Technical University of Denmark, DTU-Food, Søltofts Plads B227, DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Nikogeorgos, Nikolaos; Lee, Seunghwan [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark)

2015-06-01

Electrospun asolectin phospholipid fibers were prepared using isooctane as a solvent and had an average diameter of 6.1 ± 2.7 μm. Their mechanical properties were evaluated by nanoindentation using Atomic Force Microscopy, and their elastic modulus was found to be approximately 17.2 ± 1 MPa. At a cycle of piezo expansion-retraction (loading-unloading) of a silicon tip on a fiber, relatively high adhesion was observed during unloading. It is proposed that this was primarily due to molecular rearrangements at the utmost layers of the fiber caused by the indentation of the hydrophilic tip. The phospholipid fibers were shown to be stable in ambient conditions, preserving the modulus of elasticity up to 24 h.

Nanomechanics of electrospun phospholipid fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mendes, Ana Carina Loureiro; Nikogeorgos, Nikolaos; Lee, Seunghwan

2015-01-01

Electrospun asolectin phospholipid fibers were prepared using isooctane as a solvent and had an average diameter of 6.1 +/- 2.7 mu m. Their mechanical properties were evaluated by nanoindentation using Atomic Force Microscopy, and their elastic modulus was found to be approximately 17.2 +/- 1MPa....... At a cycle of piezo expansion-retraction (loading-unloading) of a silicon tip on a fiber, relatively high adhesion was observed during unloading. It is proposed that this was primarily due to molecular rearrangements at the utmost layers of the fiber caused by the indentation of the hydrophilic tip....... The phospholipid fibers were shown to be stable in ambient conditions, preserving the modulus of elasticity up to 24 h. (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC....

Electrospun amplified fiber optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Morello, Giovanni; Camposeo, Andrea; Moffa, Maria; Pisignano, Dario

2015-03-11

All-optical signal processing is the focus of much research aiming to obtain effective alternatives to existing data transmission platforms. Amplification of light in fiber optics, such as in Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, is especially important for efficient signal transmission. However, the complex fabrication methods involving high-temperature processes performed in a highly pure environment slow the fabrication process and make amplified components expensive with respect to an ideal, high-throughput, room temperature production. Here, we report on near-infrared polymer fiber amplifiers working over a band of ∼20 nm. The fibers are cheap, spun with a process entirely carried out at room temperature, and shown to have amplified spontaneous emission with good gain coefficients and low levels of optical losses (a few cm(-1)). The amplification process is favored by high fiber quality and low self-absorption. The found performance metrics appear to be suitable for short-distance operations, and the large variety of commercially available doping dyes might allow for effective multiwavelength operations by electrospun amplified fiber optics.

Effect of Voltage and Flow Rate Electrospinning Parameters on Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Bakar, S. S. S.; Fong, K. C.; Eleyas, A.; Nazeri, M. F. M.

2018-03-01

Currently, electrospinning is a very famous technique and widely used for forming polymer nanofibers. In this paper, the Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were prepared in concentration of 10wt% with varied processing parameters that can affect the properties of PAN fiber in term of fiber diameter and electrical conductivity was presented. Voltage of 10, 15 and 20 kV with PAN flow rate of 1 electrospun PAN fibers were then undergo pyrolysis at 800°C for 30 minutes. The resultant PAN nanofibers were then analysed by SEM, XRD and four point probe test after pyrolysis process. SEM image show continuos uniform and smooth surface fibrous structure of electrospun PAN fibers with average diameter of 1.81 μm. The fiber morphology is controlled by manipulating the processing parameters of electrospinning process. The results showed that the resistance of electrospun PAN fibers decreases as the processing parameter changes by increasing the applied voltage and flow rate of electrospinning.

Interactions between Surfactants in Solution and Electrospun Protein Fibers: Effects on Release Behavior and Fiber Properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boutrup Stephansen, Karen; García-Díaz, María; Jessen, Flemming

2016-01-01

, and drug delivery. In the present study, we present a systematic investigation of how surfactants and proteins, as physiologically relevant components, interact with insulin-loaded fish sarcoplasmic protein (FSP) electrospun fibers (FSP-Ins fibers) in solution and thereby affect fiber properties...... such as accessible surface hydrophilicity, physical stability, and release characteristics of an encapsulated drug. Interactions between insulin-loaded protein fibers and five anionic surfactants (sodium taurocholate, sodium taurodeoxycholate, sodium glycocholate, sodium glycodeoxycholate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate......Intermolecular interaction phenomena occurring between endogenous compounds, such as proteins and bile salts, and electrospun compounds are so far unreported, despite the exposure of fibers to such biorelevant compounds when applied for biomedical purposes, e.g., tissue engineering, wound healing...

The effect of poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid composition on the mechanical properties of electrospun fibrous mats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Xiaoli; Aho, Johanna; Baldursdottir, Stefania G.

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of polymer molecular structure on the electrospinnability and mechanical properties of electrospun fibrous mats (EFMs). Polymers with similar molecular weight but different composition ratios (lactic acid (LA) and glycolic acid (GA)) were dis...

Electrospun fish protein fibers as a biopolymer-based carrier – implications for oral protein delivery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boutrup Stephansen, Karen; García-Díaz, María; Jessen, Flemming

2014-01-01

Purpose: Protein-based electrospun fibers have emerged as novel nanostructured materials for tissue engineering and drug delivery due to their unique structural characteristics, biocompatibility and biodegradability. The aim of this study was to explore the use of electrospun fibers based on fish...... sarcoplasmic proteins as an oral delivery platform for biopharmaceuticals, using insulin as a model protein. Methods: Fish sarcoplasmic proteins (FSP) were isolated from fresh cod and electrospun into nanomicrofibers using insulin as a model payload. The morphology of FSP fibers was characterized using...... differentiated Caco-2 cell monolayers was followed by RP-HPLC and ELISA, and the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was measured before and after the experiment. Cell viability was assessed by the MTS/PMS assay. Results: Insulin was encapsulated in the electrospun FSP fibers with high efficiency, high...

Electrospun nanofibers: Formation, characterization, and evaluation for nerve tissue engineering applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zander, Nicole E.

The effects of fiber alignment and surface chemistry, including the covalent attachment and physical adsorption of the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins laminin and collagen, on the neurite outgrowth of neuron-like PC12 cells were examined. Neuron-like PC12 cells responded to fiber orientation, and were successfully contact-guided by aligned electrospun nanofibers. In addition, fibers with attached protein, either physically adsorbed or covalently attached, improved neurite outgrowth lengths. Furthermore, aligning the fibers and attaching the ECM protein laminin, in particular, significantly improved neurite outgrowth over randomly oriented fibers with laminin. Since this research suggested that protein concentration on the fibers was the dominant driving force for improved neurite outgrowth, the effect of protein concentration, incorporated onto the surface of the nanofibers, on neurite outgrowth was examined. Two ways to control protein concentration on the fibers were explored—the variation of the fiber-protein reaction time and the variation of the protein soaking solution concentration. In addition, analytical methods to quantify the concentration of protein, as well as the protein coverage, on the surface of the fibers were developed. Although most of the fiber mats had multilayer protein coverage, and hence physically adsorbed proteins which could potentially mean a loss in bioactivity, the neuron-like PC12 cell neurites responded in a dose-dependent manner with increased neurite lengths on scaffolds with higher protein concentrations. The work was extended further by forming protein gradients on the fiber mats in hopes of locally directing neurite outgrowth and orientation. Fiber mats with both linear gradients (continuous change in protein concentration) and step gradients (six regions of uniform protein coverage, with protein concentration increasing from region to region) were fabricated and analyzed. The step gradients formed in the aligned fiber

Mechanical and electro-rheological properties of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibre mats filled with carbon black nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuangchote, Surawut; Sirivat, Anuvat; Supaphol, Pitt

2007-01-01

The present contribution reports, for the first time, the mechanical and electro-rheological properties of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibre mats with or without the incorporation of carbon black (CB) nanoparticles. The effects of sonication and the addition of CB on morphological appearance, average diameter of the as-spun fibre mats, and that of the individual fibres, were thoroughly investigated. Incorporation of CB (1-10% based on the weight of PVA) in 10% w/v PVA solution did not affect the morphology and average diameter of the obtained fibres (∼160 nm), but it affected both the mechanical and the electro-rheological properties of the as-spun PVA/CB fibre mats, in which the mats became more rigid with the addition and increasing amount of CB

Electrospun Phospholipid Fibers as Micro-Encapsulation and Antioxidant Matrices.

Science.gov (United States)

Shekarforoush, Elhamalsadat; Mendes, Ana C; Baj, Vanessa; Beeren, Sophie R; Chronakis, Ioannis S

2017-10-17

Electrospun phospholipid (asolectin) microfibers were investigated as antioxidants and encapsulation matrices for curcumin and vanillin. These phospholipid microfibers exhibited antioxidant properties which increased after the encapsulation of both curcumin and vanillin. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the total phenolic content (TPC) of curcumin/phospholipid and vanillin/phospholipid microfibers remained stable over time at different temperatures (refrigerated, ambient) and pressures (vacuum, ambient). ¹H-NMR confirmed the chemical stability of both encapsulated curcumin and vanillin within phospholipid fibers. Release studies in aqueous media revealed that the phenolic bioactives were released mainly due to swelling of the phospholipid fiber matrix over time. The above studies confirm the efficacy of electrospun phospholipid microfibers as encapsulation and antioxidant systems.

Electrospun Phospholipid Fibers as Micro-Encapsulation and Antioxidant Matrices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elhamalsadat Shekarforoush

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Electrospun phospholipid (asolectin microfibers were investigated as antioxidants and encapsulation matrices for curcumin and vanillin. These phospholipid microfibers exhibited antioxidant properties which increased after the encapsulation of both curcumin and vanillin. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC and the total phenolic content (TPC of curcumin/phospholipid and vanillin/phospholipid microfibers remained stable over time at different temperatures (refrigerated, ambient and pressures (vacuum, ambient. 1H-NMR confirmed the chemical stability of both encapsulated curcumin and vanillin within phospholipid fibers. Release studies in aqueous media revealed that the phenolic bioactives were released mainly due to swelling of the phospholipid fiber matrix over time. The above studies confirm the efficacy of electrospun phospholipid microfibers as encapsulation and antioxidant systems.

Characterization of electrospun lignin based carbon fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poursorkhabi, Vida; Mohanty, Amar; Misra, Manjusri

2015-01-01

The production of lignin fibers has been studied in order to replace the need for petroleum based precursors for carbon fiber production. In addition to its positive environmental effects, it also benefits the economics of the industries which cannot take advantage of carbon fiber properties because of their high price. A large amount of lignin is annually produced as the byproduct of paper and growing cellulosic ethanol industry. Therefore, finding high value applications for this low cost, highly available material is getting more attention. Lignin is a biopolymer making about 15 – 30 % of the plant cell walls and has a high carbon yield upon carbonization. However, its processing is challenging due to its low molecular weight and also variations based on its origin and the method of separation from cellulose. In this study, alkali solutions of organosolv lignin with less than 1 wt/v% of poly (ethylene oxide) and two types of lignin (hardwood and softwood) were electrospun followed by carbonization. Different heating programs for carbonization were tested. The carbonized fibers had a smooth surface with an average diameter of less than 5 µm and the diameter could be controlled by the carbonization process and lignin type. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study morphology of the fibers before and after carbonization. Thermal conductivity of a sample with amorphous carbon was 2.31 W/m.K. The electrospun lignin carbon fibers potentially have a large range of application such as in energy storage devices and water or gas purification systems

Characterization of electrospun lignin based carbon fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poursorkhabi, Vida; Mohanty, Amar; Misra, Manjusri [School of Engineering, Thornbrough Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario (Canada); Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario (Canada)

2015-05-22

The production of lignin fibers has been studied in order to replace the need for petroleum based precursors for carbon fiber production. In addition to its positive environmental effects, it also benefits the economics of the industries which cannot take advantage of carbon fiber properties because of their high price. A large amount of lignin is annually produced as the byproduct of paper and growing cellulosic ethanol industry. Therefore, finding high value applications for this low cost, highly available material is getting more attention. Lignin is a biopolymer making about 15 – 30 % of the plant cell walls and has a high carbon yield upon carbonization. However, its processing is challenging due to its low molecular weight and also variations based on its origin and the method of separation from cellulose. In this study, alkali solutions of organosolv lignin with less than 1 wt/v% of poly (ethylene oxide) and two types of lignin (hardwood and softwood) were electrospun followed by carbonization. Different heating programs for carbonization were tested. The carbonized fibers had a smooth surface with an average diameter of less than 5 µm and the diameter could be controlled by the carbonization process and lignin type. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study morphology of the fibers before and after carbonization. Thermal conductivity of a sample with amorphous carbon was 2.31 W/m.K. The electrospun lignin carbon fibers potentially have a large range of application such as in energy storage devices and water or gas purification systems.

Polarized emission from CsPbBr3 nanowire embedded-electrospun PU fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Güner, Tuğrul; Topçu, Gökhan; Savacı, Umut; Genç, Aziz; Turan, Servet; Sari, Emre; Demir, Mustafa M.

2018-04-01

Interest in all-inorganic halide perovskites has been increasing dramatically due to their high quantum yield, band gap tunability, and ease of fabrication in compositional and geometric diversity. In this study, we synthesized several hundreds of nanometer long and ˜4 nm thick CsPbBr 3 nanowires (NWs). They were then integrated into electrospun polyurethane (PU) fibers to examine the polarization behavior of the composite fiber assembly. Aligned electrospun fibers containing CsPbBr 3 NWs showed a remarkable increase in the degree of polarization from 0.17-0.30. This combination of NWs and PU fibers provides a promising composite material for various applications such as optoelectronic devices and solar cells.

Polarized Emission from CsPbBr3 Nanowires Embedded-Electrospun PU fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Güner, Tugrul; Topçu, Gökhan; Savacı, Umut; Genç, Aziz; Turan, Servet; Sarı, Emre; Demir, Mustafa M

2018-01-29

The interest in all-inorganic halide perovskites has been increasing dramatically due to their high quantum yield, band gap tunability, and ease of fabrication in compositional and geometric diversity. In this study, we synthesized µm long and ~4 nm thick CsPbBr3 nanowires (NWs). They were, then, integrated into electrospun polyurethane (PU) fibers to examine polarization behavior of the composite fiber assembly. Aligned electrospun fibers containing CsPbBr3 nanowires show remarkable increase in degree of polarization from 0.17 to 0.30. This combination of NWs and PU fibers provides a promising composite material for various applications such as optoelectronic devices and solar cells. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Electrospun fibers for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Cameron

HIV/AIDS education, testing, and treatment have thus far failed to cease the pandemic spread of the HIV virus. HIV prevention is hindered by a lack of protective options beyond the ABC approach of abstinence, being faithful, and using condoms. One approach to address this inadequacy is to develop antiviral products for vaginal or rectal application that provide receptive partner-initiated protection against viral infection during sex. Such products, termed anti-HIV microbicides, can especially empower young women to take control over their sexual health. This work explored a new approach to anti-HIV microbicides: electrospun fibers for the delivery of small-molecule antiretroviral drugs. Electrospun microbicides are nonwoven fabrics made from polymer-based nanofibers. The wide array of polymers available for electrospinning allowed for the incorporation and release of chemically diverse agents. Since electrospun fibers have an extremely high surface area to volume ratio, they serve as excellent delivery systems for rapid drug delivery of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents. The flexibility in the design of electrospun fibers afforded by coaxial electrospinning further enabled the formulation of sustained-release microbicides. To demonstrate the power of electrospinning to deliver drugs over multiple timescales, composite microbicide fabrics were created to provide both rapid and sustained drug release from a single device. This work has produced alternative microbicide formulations, while establishing methods for the thorough characterization of these systems and solutions for the needs of people at risk of HIV infection. By addressing problems in both HIV prevention and drug delivery, this work has expanded our capacity to engineer elegant solutions to complex and pressing global health challenges.

Fabrication of nanofiber mats from electrospinning of functionalized polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Oktay, Burcu; Kayaman-Apohan, Nilhan; Erdem-Kuruca, Serap

2014-08-01

Electrospinning technique enabled us to prepare nanofibers from synthetic and natural polymers. In this study, it was aimed to fabricate electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) based nanofibers by reactive electrospinning process. To improve endurance of fiber toward to many solvents, PVA was functionalized with photo-crosslinkable groups before spinning. Afterward PVA was crosslinked by UV radiation during electrospinning process. The nanofiber mats were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that homogenous, uniform and crosslinked PVA nanofibers in diameters of about 200 nm were obtained. Thermal stability of the nanofiber mat was investigated with thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Also the potential use of this nanofiber mats for tissue engineering was examined. Osteosarcoma (Saos) cells were cultured on the nanofiber mats.

Fabrication of nanofiber mats from electrospinning of functionalized polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oktay, Burcu; Kayaman-Apohan, Nilhan; Erdem-Kuruca, Serap

2014-01-01

Electrospinning technique enabled us to prepare nanofibers from synthetic and natural polymers. In this study, it was aimed to fabricate electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) based nanofibers by reactive electrospinning process. To improve endurance of fiber toward to many solvents, PVA was functionalized with photo-crosslinkable groups before spinning. Afterward PVA was crosslinked by UV radiation during electrospinning process. The nanofiber mats were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that homogenous, uniform and crosslinked PVA nanofibers in diameters of about 200 nm were obtained. Thermal stability of the nanofiber mat was investigated with thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Also the potential use of this nanofiber mats for tissue engineering was examined. Osteosarcoma (Saos) cells were cultured on the nanofiber mats

Poly-m-aramid nanofiber mats: Production for application as structural modifiers in CFRP laminates

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzocchetti, Laura; D'Angelo, Emanuele; Benelli, Tiziana; Belcari, Juri; Brugo, Tommaso Maria; Zucchelli, Andrea; Giorgini, Loris

2016-05-01

Poly(m-phenylene isophtalamide) electrospun nanofibrous membranes were produced to be used as structural reinforcements for carbon fiber reinforced composites production. In order for the polymer to be electrospun, it needs however to be fully solubilized, so the addition of some salts is required to help disrupt the tight macromolecular packing based on intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonding. Such salts may also contribute to the electrospinnability of the overall solution, since the provide it with a higher conductivity, whatever the solvent might be. The salt haobwever stays in the final nanofibrous mat. The membranes containing the salt are also observed to be highly hygroscopic, with a water content up to 26%, in the presence of 20%wt LiCl in the nanofibrous mat. When those membranes were interleaved among prepregs to produce a laminates, the obtained composite displayed thermal properties comparable to those of a reference nanofiber-free composite, though the former showed also easier delamination. Hence the removal of the hygroscopic salt was performed, that lead to thinner membranes, whose water content matched that of the pristine polymer. The washing step induced a thinning of the layers and of the fibers diameters, though no fiber shrinking nor membrane macroscopic damages were observed. These preliminary encouraging results thus pave the way to a deeper study of the optimized condition for producing convenient poly(m-phenylene isophtalamide) electrospun nanofibrous membranes to be used for carbon fiber reinforced composites structural modification.

Thermomechanical analyses of phenolic foam reinforced with glass fiber mat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Jintang; Yao, Zhengjun; Chen, Yongxin; Wei, Dongbo; Wu, Yibing

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Over 10% glass fiber was used to reinforce phenolic foam in the shape of glass fiber mat. • Nucleating agents were used together with glass fiber mat and improved tensile strength of phenolic foam by 215.6%. • Nucleating agents lead to a smaller bubble size of phenolic foam. • The glass transition temperature of phenolic foam remained unchanged during the reinforcement. - Abstract: In this paper, thermomechanical analysis (TMA) and dynamic mechanical analysis were employed to study the properties of phenolic foam reinforced with glass fiber mat. Unreinforced phenolic foam was taken as the control sample. Mechanical tests and scanning electron microscopy were performed to confirm the results of TMA. The results show that glass fiber mat reinforcement improves the mechanical performance of phenolic foam, and nucleating agents improve it further. Phenolic foam reinforced with glass fiber mat has a smaller thermal expansion coefficient compared with unreinforced foam. The storage modulus of the reinforced phenolic foam is also higher than that in unreinforced foam, whereas the loss modulus of the former is lower than that of the latter. The glass transition temperature of the phenolic foam matrix remains unchanged during the reinforcement

A review of evolution of electrospun tissue engineering scaffold: From two dimensions to three dimensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngadiman, Nor Hasrul Akhmal; Noordin, M Y; Idris, Ani; Kurniawan, Denni

2017-07-01

The potential of electrospinning process to fabricate ultrafine fibers as building blocks for tissue engineering scaffolds is well recognized. The scaffold construct produced by electrospinning process depends on the quality of the fibers. In electrospinning, material selection and parameter setting are among many factors that contribute to the quality of the ultrafine fibers, which eventually determine the performance of the tissue engineering scaffolds. The major challenge of conventional electrospun scaffolds is the nature of electrospinning process which can only produce two-dimensional electrospun mats, hence limiting their applications. Researchers have started to focus on overcoming this limitation by combining electrospinning with other techniques to fabricate three-dimensional scaffold constructs. This article reviews various polymeric materials and their composites/blends that have been successfully electrospun for tissue engineering scaffolds, their mechanical properties, and the various parameters settings that influence the fiber morphology. This review also highlights the secondary processes to electrospinning that have been used to develop three-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds as well as the steps undertaken to overcome electrospinning limitations.

Synthesis of piroxicam loaded novel electrospun biodegradable nanocomposite scaffolds for periodontal regeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farooq, Ariba [Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore,54000 (Pakistan); Yar, Muhammad, E-mail: drmyar@ciitlahore.edu.pk [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore,54000 (Pakistan); Khan, Abdul Samad; Shahzadi, Lubna; Siddiqi, Saadat Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore,54000 (Pakistan); Mahmood, Nasir [Department of Allied Health Sciences and Chemical Pathology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Pakistan); Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Pakistan); Rauf, Abdul [Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Qureshi, Zafar-ul-Ahsan [Veterinary Research Institute, Lahore (Pakistan); Manzoor, Faisal; Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore,54000 (Pakistan); Rehman, Ihtesham ur [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore,54000 (Pakistan); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, The University of Sheffield, North Campus, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ (United Kingdom)

2015-11-01

Development of biodegradable composites having the ability to suppress or eliminate the pathogenic micro-biota or modulate the inflammatory response has attracted great interest in order to limit/repair periodontal tissue destruction. The present report includes the development of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug encapsulated novel biodegradable chitosan (CS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) electro-spun (e-spun) composite nanofibrous mats and films and study of the effect of heat treatment on fibers and films morphology. It also describes comparative in-vitro drug release profiles from heat treated and control (non-heat treated) nanofibrous mats and films containing varying concentrations of piroxicam (PX). Electrospinning was used to obtain drug loaded ultrafine fibrous mats. The physical/chemical interactions were evaluated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The morphology, structure and pore size of the materials were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal behavior of the materials was investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Control (not heat treated) and heat treated e-spun fibers mats and films were tested for in vitro drug release studies at physiological pH 7.4 and initially, as per requirement burst release patterns were observed from both fibers and films and later sustained release profiles were noted. In vitro cytocompatibility was performed using VERO cell line of epithelial cells and all the synthesized materials were found to be non-cytotoxic. The current observations suggested that these materials are potential candidates for periodontal regeneration. - Highlights: • Novel non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug encapsulated biodegradable electrospun nanocomposite scaffolds were synthesized. • Heat treatment displayed great influence on the morphology of scaffolds. • Fiber diameter was decreased and pore size was increased after heat

Synthesis of piroxicam loaded novel electrospun biodegradable nanocomposite scaffolds for periodontal regeneration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farooq, Ariba; Yar, Muhammad; Khan, Abdul Samad; Shahzadi, Lubna; Siddiqi, Saadat Anwar; Mahmood, Nasir; Rauf, Abdul; Qureshi, Zafar-ul-Ahsan; Manzoor, Faisal; Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar; Rehman, Ihtesham ur

2015-01-01

Development of biodegradable composites having the ability to suppress or eliminate the pathogenic micro-biota or modulate the inflammatory response has attracted great interest in order to limit/repair periodontal tissue destruction. The present report includes the development of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug encapsulated novel biodegradable chitosan (CS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) electro-spun (e-spun) composite nanofibrous mats and films and study of the effect of heat treatment on fibers and films morphology. It also describes comparative in-vitro drug release profiles from heat treated and control (non-heat treated) nanofibrous mats and films containing varying concentrations of piroxicam (PX). Electrospinning was used to obtain drug loaded ultrafine fibrous mats. The physical/chemical interactions were evaluated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The morphology, structure and pore size of the materials were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal behavior of the materials was investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Control (not heat treated) and heat treated e-spun fibers mats and films were tested for in vitro drug release studies at physiological pH 7.4 and initially, as per requirement burst release patterns were observed from both fibers and films and later sustained release profiles were noted. In vitro cytocompatibility was performed using VERO cell line of epithelial cells and all the synthesized materials were found to be non-cytotoxic. The current observations suggested that these materials are potential candidates for periodontal regeneration. - Highlights: • Novel non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug encapsulated biodegradable electrospun nanocomposite scaffolds were synthesized. • Heat treatment displayed great influence on the morphology of scaffolds. • Fiber diameter was decreased and pore size was increased after heat

Lignin-derived electrospun carbon nanofiber mats with supercritically deposited Ag nanoparticles for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, Chuilin; Kolla, Praveen; Zhao, Yong; Fong, Hao; Smirnova, Alevtina L.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Electrospun carbon nanofiber mats were prepared from a natural product of lignin. • The freestanding mats were flexible with BET specific surface area of ∼583 m 2 /g. • The mats were surface-deposited with Ag nanoparticles via the scCO 2 method. • Novel electrocatalytic systems of Ag/ECNFs exhibited high activities towards ORR. - Abstract: Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) (11, 15, and 25 wt.%) were deposited on the surface of the freestanding and mechanically flexible mats consisting of lignin-derived electrospun carbon nanofibers (ECNFs) by the supercritical CO 2 method followed by the thermal treated at 180 °C. The electrochemical activity of Ag/ECNFs electrocatalyst systems towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was studied in 0.1 M KOH aqueous solution using the rotating disk/rotating ring disk electrode (RDE/RRDE) technique. The SEM, TEM, and XRD results indicated that, the spherical AgNPs were uniformly distributed on the ECNF surface with sizes in the range of 2-10 nm. The electrocatalytic results revealed that, all of the Ag/ECNFs systems exhibited high activity in ORR and demonstrated close-to-theoretical four-electron pathway. In particular, the mass activity of 15 wt.% Ag/ECNFs system was the highest (119 mA mg −1 ), exceeding that of HiSPEC 4100™ commercial Pt/C catalyst (98 mA mg −1 ). This study suggested that the lignin-derived ECNF mats surface-deposited with AgNPs would be promising as cost-effective and highly efficient electrocatalyst for ORR in alkaline fuel cells

Renewable Resources and a Recycled Polymer as Raw Materials: Mats from Electrospinning of Lignocellulosic Biomass and PET Solutions

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Rachel Passos de Oliveira Santos

2018-05-01

. DMA showed superior values of storage modulus (E’ at 30 °C for the mats characterized in the preferential direction of fiber alignment. For example, for mats obtained from solutions prepared from a 0.4 ratio of sisal fibers/PET, Sisal/PET0.40dir presented a high E’ value of 765 MPa compared to Sisal/PET0.40op that presented an E’ value of 88.4 MPa. The fiber alignment did not influence the Tg values (from tan δ peak of electrospun mats with the same compositions, as they presented similar values for this property. The tensile properties of the electrospun mats were significantly impacted by the alignment of the fibers: e.g., Sisal/PET0.40dir presented a high tensile strength value of 15.72 MPa, and Sisal/PET0.40op presented a value of approximately 2.5 MPa. An opposite trend was observed regarding the values of elongation at break for these materials. Other properties of the mats are also discussed; such as the index of fiber alignment, average porosity, and surface contact angle. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the influence of fiber alignment on the properties of electrospun mats based on untreated lignocellulosic biomass combined with a recycled polymer, such as PET, has been evaluated. The mats obtained in this study have potential for diversified applications, such as reinforcement for polymeric matrices in nanocomposites, membranes for filtration, and support for enzymes, wherein the fiber alignment, together with other evaluated properties, can impact their effectiveness in these applications.

Electrospun Fibers as a Dressing Material for Drug and Biological Agent Delivery in Wound Healing Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Gizaw, Mulugeta; Thompson, Jeffrey; Faglie, Addison; Lee, Shih-Yu; Neuenschwander, Pierre; Chou, Shih-Feng

2018-01-01

Wound healing is a complex tissue regeneration process that promotes the growth of new tissue to provide the body with the necessary barrier from the outside environment. In the class of non-healing wounds, diabetic wounds, and ulcers, dressing materials that are available clinically (e.g., gels and creams) have demonstrated only a slow improvement with current available technologies. Among all available current technologies, electrospun fibers exhibit several characteristics that may provide novel replacement dressing materials for the above-mentioned wounds. Therefore, in this review, we focus on recent achievements in electrospun drug-eluting fibers for wound healing applications. In particular, we review drug release, including small molecule drugs, proteins and peptides, and gene vectors from electrospun fibers with respect to wound healing. Furthermore, we provide an overview on multifunctional dressing materials based on electrospun fibers, including those that are capable of achieving wound debridement and wound healing simultaneously as well as multi-drugs loading/types suitable for various stages of the healing process. Our review provides important and sufficient information to inform the field in development of fiber-based dressing materials for clinical treatment of non-healing wounds. PMID:29382065

Engineering blood vessels through micropatterned co-culture of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells on bilayered electrospun fibrous mats with pDNA inoculation.

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Liu, Yaowen; Lu, Jinfu; Li, Huinan; Wei, Jiaojun; Li, Xiaohong

2015-01-01

Although engineered blood vessels have seen important advances during recent years, proper mechanical strength and vasoactivity remain unsolved problems. In the current study, micropatterned fibrous mats were created to load smooth muscle cells (SMC), and a co-culture with endothelial cells (EC) was established through overlaying on an EC-loaded flat fibrous mat to mimic the layered structure of a blood vessel. A preferential distribution of SMC was determined in the patterned regions throughout the fibrous scaffolds, and aligned fibers in the patterned regions provided topological cues to guide the orientation of SMC with intense actin filaments and extracellular matrix (ECM) production in a circumferential direction. Plasmid DNA encoding basic fibroblast growth factors and vascular endothelial growth factor were integrated into electrospun fibers as biological cues to promote SMC infiltration into fibrous mats, and the viability and ECM production of both EC and SMC. The layered fibrous mats with loaded EC and SMC were wrapped into a cylinder, and engineered vessels were obtained with compact EC and SMC layers after co-culture for 3 months. Randomly oriented ECM productions of EC formed a continuous endothelium covering the entire lumenal surface, and a high alignment of ECM was shown in the circumferential direction of SMC layers. The tensile strength, strain at failure and suture retention strength were higher than those of the human femoral artery, and the burst pressure and radial compliance were in the same range as the human saphenous vein, indicating potential as blood vessel substitutes for transplantation in vivo. Thus, the establishment of topographical cues and biochemical signals in fibrous scaffolds demonstrates advantages in modulating cellular behavior and organization found in complex multicellular tissues. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitric Oxide-Releasing Silica Nanoparticle-Doped Polyurethane Electrospun Fibers

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Koh, Ahyeon; Carpenter, Alexis W.; Slomberg, Danielle L.; Schoenfisch, Mark H.

2013-01-01

Electrospun polyurethane fibers doped with nitric oxide (NO)-releasing silica particles are presented as novel macromolecular scaffolds with prolonged NO-release and high porosity. Fiber diameter (119–614 nm) and mechanical strength (1.7–34.5 MPa of modulus) were varied by altering polyurethane type and concentration, as well as the NO-releasing particle composition, size, and concentration. The resulting NO-releasing electrospun nanofibers exhibited ~83% porosity with flexible plastic or elastomeric behavior. The use of N-diazeniumdiolate- or S-nitrosothiol-modified particles yielded scaffolds exhibiting a wide range of NO release totals and durations (7.5 nmol mg−1–0.12 μmol mg−1 and 7 h to 2 weeks, respectively). The application of NO-releasing porous materials as coating for subcutaneous implants may improve tissue biocompatibility by mitigating the foreign body response and promoting cell integration. PMID:23915047

Performance Assessment of Ordered Porous Electrospun Honeycomb Fibers for the Removal of Atmospheric Polar Volatile Organic Compounds

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Yixin Wang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This study explored a new facile method of preparing ordered porous electrospun honeycomb fibers to obtain the most promising composites for maximal adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs. The self-assembly ordered porous material (OPM and polyacrylonitrile (PAN were formulated into a blend solution to prepare honeycomb fibers. SEM and TEM images showed that OPM was effectively bonded in PAN fibers because of the composite’s structure. Acetone was used as a model to assess the VOC adsorption performances of electrospun honeycomb fibers with different OPM contents. Experimental results revealed that the adsorption capacity of honeycomb fibers increased with the increase of loaded OPM within the PAN fibers. The highest adsorption capacity was 58.2 μg g−1 by the fibers containing with 60% OPM in weight. After several recycling times, the adsorption capacities of the reused honeycomb fibers were almost the same with the fresh fibers. This finding indicated that the electrospun honeycomb fibers have potential application in removing VOCs in the workplace, and promote the performance of masks for odor removal.

Chitosan surface modified electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)/carbon nanotube composite fibers with enhanced mechanical, cell proliferation and antibacterial properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Siyu; Li, Yumei; Zhao, Rui; Jin, Toufeng; Zhang, Li; Li, Xiang

2017-11-01

The surface modification is one of the most effective methods to improve the bioactivity and cell affinity effect of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers. In the present study, chitosan (CS), a cationic polysaccharide, was used to modify the surface of electrospun PCL fibers. To obtain strong interaction between CS and PCL fibers, negatively charged PCL fibers were prepared by the incorporation of acid-treated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the fibers. In this way, the positively charged chitosan could be immobilized onto the surface of PCL fibers tightly by the electrostatic attraction. Besides, the incorporation of CNTs could significantly improve the mechanical strength of electrospun PCL fibers even after the CS modification, which guaranteed their usability in practical applications. The CS modification could effectively improve the wettability and bioactivity of electrospun PCL fibers. Cultivation of L929 fibroblast cells on the obtained fibers and the antibacterial activity were both evaluated to discuss the influence of chitosan modification. The results indicated that this modification could enhance the cell proliferation and antibacterial ability in comparison to the non-modified groups. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrospun fiber surface nanotopography influences astrocyte-mediated neurite outgrowth.

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Johnson, Christopher D; D'Amato, Anthony R; Puhl, Devan L; Wich, Douglas M; Vespermann, Amanda; Gilbert, Ryan J

2018-05-15

Aligned, electrospun fiber scaffolds provide topographical guidance for regenerating neurons and glia after central nervous system injury. To date, no study has explored how fiber surface nanotopography affects astrocyte response to fibrous scaffolds. Astrocytes play important roles in the glial scar, the blood brain barrier, and in maintaining homeostasis in the central nervous system. In this study, electrospun poly L-lactic acid fibers were engineered with smooth, pitted, or divoted surface nanotopography. Cortical or spinal cord primary rat astrocytes were cultured on the surfaces for either 1 or 3 days to examine the astrocyte response over time. The results showed that cortical astrocytes were significantly shorter and broader on the pitted and divoted fibers compared to those on smooth fibers. However, spinal cord astrocyte morphology was not significantly altered by the surface features. These findings indicate that astrocytes from unique anatomical locations respond differently to the presence of nanotopography. Western Blot results show that the differences in morphology were not associated with significant changes in GFAP or vinculin in either astrocyte population, suggesting that surface pits and divots do not induce a reactive phenotype in either cortical or spinal cord astrocytes. Finally, astrocytes were co-cultured with dorsal root ganglia to determine how the surfaces affected astrocyte-mediated neurite outgrowth. Astrocytes cultured on the fibers for shorter periods of time (1 day) generally supported longer neurite outgrowth. Pitted and divoted fibers restricted spinal cord astrocyte-mediated neurite outgrowth, while smooth fibers increased 3 day spinal cord astrocyte-mediated neurite outgrowth. In total, fiber surface nanotopography can influence astrocyte elongation and influence the capability of astrocytes to direct neurites. Therefore, fiber surface characteristics should be carefully controlled to optimize astrocyte-mediated axonal

Gelatin-GAG electrospun nanofibrous scaffold for skin tissue engineering: fabrication and modeling of process parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Pezeshki-Modaress, Mohamad; Mirzadeh, Hamid; Zandi, Mojgan

2015-03-01

Electrospinning is a very useful technique for producing polymeric nanofibers by applying electrostatic forces. In this study, fabrication of novel gelatin/GAG nanofibrous mats and also the optimization of electrospinning process using response surface methodology were reported. At optimization section, gelatin/GAG blend ratio, applied voltage and feeding rate, their individual and interaction effects on the mean fiber diameter (MFD) and standard deviation of fiber diameter (SDF) were investigated. The obtained model for MFD has a quadratic relationship with gelatin/GAG blend ratio, applied voltage and feeding rate. The interactions of blend ratio and applied voltage and also applied voltage and flow rate were found significant but the interactions of blend ratio and flow rate were ignored. The optimum condition for gelatin/GAG electrospinning was also introduced using the model obtained in this study. The potential use of optimized electrospun mat in skin tissue engineering was evaluated using culturing of human dermal fibroblast cells (HDF). The SEM micrographs of HDF cells on the nanofibrous structure show that fibroblast cells can highly attach, grow and populate on the fabricated scaffold surface. The electrospun gelatin/GAG nanofibrous mats have a potential for using as scaffold for skin, cartilage and cornea tissue engineering. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the Adhesion performance of a single electrospun fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Baji, Avinash; Zhou, Limin; Mai, Yiu-Wing; Yang, Zhifang; Yao, Haimin

2015-01-01

The micro- and nano-scale fibrillar structures found on the feet of spiders and geckos function as adhesion devices which allow them to adhere to both molecularly smooth and rough surfaces. This adhesion has been argued to arise from intermolecular forces, such as van der Waals (vdW) force, acting at the interface between any two materials in contact. Thus, it is possible to mimic their adhesion using synthetic nanostructured analogs. Herein, we report the first successful pull-off force measurements on a single electrospun fiber and show the potential of using electrospinning to fabricate adhesive analogs. A single fiber is glued to the atomic force microscope cantilever, and its adhesion to a metal substrate is studied by recording the pull-off force/displacement curves. The measured adhesive force of ~18 nN matches closely that of their biological counterparts. Similar to natural structures, the adhesive mechanism of these electrospun structures is controlled by vdW interactions.

Modulation of anisotropy in electrospun tissue-engineering scaffolds: Analysis of fiber alignment by the fast Fourier transform

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Ayres, Chantal; Bowlin, Gary L.; Henderson, Scott C.; Taylor, Leander; Shultz, Jackie; Alexander, John; Telemeco, Todd A.; Simpson, David G.

2010-01-01

We describe the use of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) in the measurement of anisotropy in electrospun scaffolds of gelatin as a function of the starting conditions. In electrospinning, fiber alignment and overall scaffold anisotropy can be manipulated by controlling the motion of the collecting mandrel with respect to the source electrospinning solution. By using FFT to assign relative alignment values to an electrospun matrix it is possible to systematically evaluate how different processing variables impact the structure and material properties of a scaffold. Gelatin was suspended at varying concentrations (80, 100, 130, 150 mg/ml) and electrospun from 2,2,2 trifluoroethanol onto rotating mandrels (200–7000 RPM). At each starting concentration, fiber diameter remained constant over a wide range of mandrel RPM. Scaffold anisotropy developed as a function of fiber diameter and mandrel RPM. The induction of varying degrees of anisotropy imparted distinctive material properties to the electrospun scaffolds. The FFT is a rapid method for evaluating fiber alignment in tissue-engineering materials. PMID:16859744

Electrospun fibers of layered double hydroxide/biopolymer nanocomposites as effective drug delivery systems

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Miao, Yue-E.; Zhu Hong; Chen Dan; Wang Ruiyu [State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Tjiu, Weng Weei [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A-STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 (Singapore); Liu Tianxi, E-mail: txliu@fudan.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2012-06-15

Ibuprofen intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH-IBU)/polycaprolactone (PCL) and LDH-IBU/polylactide (PLA) nanocomposite fibers are electrospun based on a combination of LDH-IBU with two kinds of biopolymers (i.e. PCL and PLA), to act as effective drug delivery systems. Ibuprofen (IBU) is chosen as a model drug, which is intercalated in MgAl-LDH by coprecipitation. Poly(oxyethylene-b-oxypropylene-b-oxyethylene) (Pluronic) is also added into PLA-based fibers as hydrophilicity enhancer and release modulator. LDH-IBU nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed throughout the nanocomposite fibers, as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. In vitro drug release studies show that initial IBU liberation from LDH-IBU/PCL composite fibers is remarkably slower than that from IBU/PCL fibers due to the sustained release property of LDH-IBU and heterogeneous nucleation effect of LDH-IBU on PCL chain segments. Surprisingly, the initial IBU release from LDH-IBU/PLA and LDH-IBU/PLA/Pluronic composite fibers is faster than that from the corresponding IBU/PLA and IBU/PLA/Pluronic fibers. This effect can be attributed to the strong interaction between alkyl groups in IBU molecules and methyl substituent groups of PLA as well as the hydrophilicity of LDH-IBU, which lead to an easier diffusion of water with a faster release of IBU from LDH-IBU/PLA and LDH-IBU/PLA/Pluronic composite fibers. - Graphical abstract: Ibuprofen intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH-IBU)/polycaprolactone (PCL) and LDH-IBU/polylactide (PLA) nanocomposite fibers are electrospun based on the combination of LDHs with two kinds of biopolymers (i.e. PCL and PLA). LDH-IBU nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed throughout all the electrospun nanocomposite fibers even at a high loading level of 5 wt%. By combining the tunable drug release property of LDHs and electrospinning technique, the new drug delivery system is anticipated for effective loading and sustained release of drugs

Electrospun fibers of layered double hydroxide/biopolymer nanocomposites as effective drug delivery systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao, Yue-E.; Zhu Hong; Chen Dan; Wang Ruiyu; Tjiu, Weng Weei; Liu Tianxi

2012-01-01

Ibuprofen intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH-IBU)/polycaprolactone (PCL) and LDH-IBU/polylactide (PLA) nanocomposite fibers are electrospun based on a combination of LDH-IBU with two kinds of biopolymers (i.e. PCL and PLA), to act as effective drug delivery systems. Ibuprofen (IBU) is chosen as a model drug, which is intercalated in MgAl-LDH by coprecipitation. Poly(oxyethylene-b-oxypropylene-b-oxyethylene) (Pluronic) is also added into PLA-based fibers as hydrophilicity enhancer and release modulator. LDH-IBU nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed throughout the nanocomposite fibers, as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. In vitro drug release studies show that initial IBU liberation from LDH-IBU/PCL composite fibers is remarkably slower than that from IBU/PCL fibers due to the sustained release property of LDH-IBU and heterogeneous nucleation effect of LDH-IBU on PCL chain segments. Surprisingly, the initial IBU release from LDH-IBU/PLA and LDH-IBU/PLA/Pluronic composite fibers is faster than that from the corresponding IBU/PLA and IBU/PLA/Pluronic fibers. This effect can be attributed to the strong interaction between alkyl groups in IBU molecules and methyl substituent groups of PLA as well as the hydrophilicity of LDH-IBU, which lead to an easier diffusion of water with a faster release of IBU from LDH-IBU/PLA and LDH-IBU/PLA/Pluronic composite fibers. - Graphical abstract: Ibuprofen intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH-IBU)/polycaprolactone (PCL) and LDH-IBU/polylactide (PLA) nanocomposite fibers are electrospun based on the combination of LDHs with two kinds of biopolymers (i.e. PCL and PLA). LDH-IBU nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed throughout all the electrospun nanocomposite fibers even at a high loading level of 5 wt%. By combining the tunable drug release property of LDHs and electrospinning technique, the new drug delivery system is anticipated for effective loading and sustained release of drugs

Matted-fiber divertor tagets for sputter resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gierszewski, P.J.; Todreas, N.E.; Mikic, B.; Yang, T.F.

1981-06-01

Reductions in net sputtering yields can be obtained by altering the surface topography to maximize redeposition of sputtered atoms. A simple analysis is used to indicate a potential reduction by a factor of 2 to 5 for matted fiber divertor targets, relatively independent of incident, reflected and sputtered atom distributions. The fiber temperature is also shown to be acceptable, even up to 10 MW/m 2 , for reasonably combinations of materials, fiber diameter and fiber spacing

Electrospun Zeolite/Cellulose Acetate Fibers for Ion Exchange of Pb2+

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Daniel N. Tran

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The ion exchange capability of electrospun cellulose acetate (CA fibers containing zeolite A nanoparticles is reported. Solid and porous CA fibers were used to make a zeolite-embedded filter paper, which was then used to ion exchange Na+ with Cu2+ and Pb2+. The composite Linde Type A (LTA zeolite CA fibers exchanged 0.39 mmol/g more Pb2+ than LTA nanoparticles in the solid CA fibers. These fibers could provide a simple and effective method for heavy metal ion removal in water.

Influence of layer-by-layer assembled electrospun poly (L-lactic acid) nanofiber mats on the bioactivity of endothelial cells

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Wu, Keke; Zhang, Xiazhi; Yang, Wufeng; Liu, Xiaoyan; Jiao, Yanpeng; Zhou, Changren

2016-12-01

Electrospun poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) nanofiber mats were successfully modified by deposition of multilayers with chitosan (CS), heparin (Hep) and graphene oxide (GO) through electrostatic layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly method. In this study, the surface properties of PLLA nanofiber mats before and after modification were investigated via scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle measurement. In addition, the cytocompatibility of the modified PLLA nanofiber mats were investigated by testing endothelial cells compatibility, including cell attachment, cell proliferation and cell cycle. The results revealed that the surfaces of modified PLLA nanofiber mats become much rougher, stifiness and the hydrophilicity of the LBL modified PLLA nanofiber mats were improved compared to original PLLA one. Moreover, the modified PLLA nanofiber mats had promoted the endothelial cells viability attachment significantly. Besides, we studied the PLLA nanofiber mats on the expression of necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukine-1β (IL-1β), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in endothelial cells. The results showed that modified PLLA nanofiber mats had inhibited the inflammatory response to some extent.

Morphological and mechanical analysis of electrospun shape memory polymer fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Budun, Sinem [Institute of Pure and Applied Science, Marmara University, 34722 Istanbul (Turkey); İşgören, Erkan [Textile Technology, Technical Education Faculty, Marmara University, 34722 Istanbul (Turkey); Erdem, Ramazan, E-mail: ramazanerdem@akdeniz.edu.tr [Textile Technologies, Serik G-S. Sural Vocational School of Higher Education, Akdeniz University, 07500 Antalya (Turkey); Yüksek, Metin [Textile Engineering, Technology Faculty, Marmara University, 34722 Istanbul (Turkey)

2016-09-01

Highlights: • Fiber morphology of PU based shape memory fibers varied especially with polymer concentration and applied voltage. • The smallest diameter (381 ± 165 nm) and almost uniform (without bead) fibers were belonged to the sample Y10K30 with a feeding rate of 1 ml/h and an applied voltage of 30 kV at 24.5 cm distance. • All calculated shape fixity results were above 80% and the best value (92 ± 4%) was obtained for Y10K30. • All gained shape recovery results were determined above 100% and the highest measurement (130 ± 4%) was belonged to Y15K39. • The greatest tensile property was obtained for Y10K30 (14.7 ± 3.2 MPa) in machine direction and for Y10K39 (12.9 ± 0.8 MPa) in transverse direction. Y15K39 (411 ± 24%) and Y20K30 (402 ± 34%) possessed the highest elongation results compared with the other electrospun webs. - Abstract: Shape memory block co-polymer Polyurethane (PU) fibers were fabricated by electrospinning technique. Four different solution concentrations (5 wt.%, 10 wt.%, 15 wt.% and 20 wt.%) were prepared by using Tetrahydrofuran (THF)/N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) (50:50, v/v) as solvents, and three different voltages (30 kV, 35 kV and 38.9 kV) were determined for the electrospinning process. Solution properties were explored in terms of viscosity and electrical conductivity. It was observed that as the polymer concentration increased in the solution, the conductivity declined. Morphological characteristics of the obtained fibers were analyzed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) measurements. Findings indicated that fiber morphology varied especially with polymer concentration and applied voltage. Obtained fiber diameter ranged from 112 ± 34 nm to 2046 ± 654 nm, respectively. DSC analysis presented that chain orientation of the polymer increased after electrospinning process. Shape fixity and shape recovery calculations were realized. The best shape fixity value (92 ± 4%) was obtained for Y10K30 and the highest shape

Mechanical Properties of Natural Jute Fabric/Jute Mat Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix Hybrid Composites

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Elsayed A. Elbadry

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Recycled needle punched jute fiber mats as a first natural fiber reinforcement system and these jute mats used as a core needle punched with recycled jute fabric cloths as skin layers as a second natural fiber reinforcement system were used for unsaturated polyester matrix composites via modifying the hand lay-up technique with resin preimpregnation into the jute fiber in vacuum. The effect of skin jute fabric on the tensile and bending properties of jute mat composites was investigated for different fiber weight contents. Moreover, the notch sensitivity of these composites was also compared by using the characteristic distance do calculated by Finite Element Method (FEM. The results showed that the tensile and flexural properties of jute mat composites increased by increasing the fiber weight content and by adding the jute fabric as skin layers. On the other hand, by adding the skins, the characteristic distance decreased and, therefore, the notch sensitivity of the composites increased. The fracture behavior investigated by SEM showed that extensive fiber pull-out mechanism was revealed at the tension side of jute mat composites under the bending load and by adding the jute cloth, the failure mode of jute mat was changed to fiber bridge mechanism.

Photocatalytic and antibacterial properties of a TiO2/nylon-6 electrospun nanocomposite mat containing silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, Hem Raj; Pandeya, Dipendra Raj; Nam, Ki Taek; Baek, Woo-il; Hong, Seong Tshool; Kim, Hak Yong

2011-01-01

Silver-impregnated TiO 2 /nylon-6 nanocomposite mats exhibit excellent characteristics as a filter media with good photocatalytic and antibacterial properties and durability for repeated use. Silver nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully embedded in electrospun TiO 2 /nylon-6 composite nanofibers through the photocatalytic reduction of silver nitrate solution under UV-light irradiation. TiO 2 NPs present in nylon-6 solution were able to cause the formation of a high aspect ratio spider-wave-like structure during electrospinning and facilitated the UV photoreduction of AgNO 3 to Ag. TEM images, UV-visible and XRD spectra confirmed that monodisperse Ag NPs (approximately 4 nm in size) were deposited selectively upon the TiO 2 NPs of the prepared nanocomposite mat. The antibacterial property of a TiO 2 /nylon-6 composite mat loaded with Ag NPs was tested against Escherichia coli, and the photoactive property was tested against methylene blue. All of the results showed that TiO 2 /nylon-6 nanocomposite mats loaded with Ag NPs are more effective than composite mats without Ag NPs. The prepared material has potential as an economically friendly photocatalyst and water filter media because it allows the NPs to be reused.

Influence of layer-by-layer assembled electrospun poly (L-lactic acid) nanofiber mats on the bioactivity of endothelial cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Keke; Zhang, Xiazhi; Yang, Wufeng; Liu, Xiaoyan; Jiao, Yanpeng, E-mail: tjiaoyp@jnu.edu.cn; Zhou, Changren

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Layer-by-layer assembled PLLA nanofiber mats were successfully prepared. • The modified PLLA nanofiber mats enhanced the adhesion, proliferation of endothelial cells. • The modified PLLA nanofiber mats had inhibited the inflammatory response to some extent. - Abstract: Electrospun poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) nanofiber mats were successfully modified by deposition of multilayers with chitosan (CS), heparin (Hep) and graphene oxide (GO) through electrostatic layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly method. In this study, the surface properties of PLLA nanofiber mats before and after modification were investigated via scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle measurement. In addition, the cytocompatibility of the modified PLLA nanofiber mats were investigated by testing endothelial cells compatibility, including cell attachment, cell proliferation and cell cycle. The results revealed that the surfaces of modified PLLA nanofiber mats become much rougher, stifiness and the hydrophilicity of the LBL modified PLLA nanofiber mats were improved compared to original PLLA one. Moreover, the modified PLLA nanofiber mats had promoted the endothelial cells viability attachment significantly. Besides, we studied the PLLA nanofiber mats on the expression of necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukine-1β (IL-1β), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in endothelial cells. The results showed that modified PLLA nanofiber mats had inhibited the inflammatory response to some extent.

Oxidative stability of pullulan electrospun fibers containing fish oil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

García Moreno, Pedro Jesús; Damberg, Cecilie; Chronakis, Ioannis S.

2017-01-01

The effect of oil content and addition of natural antioxidants on the morphology and oxidative stability of pullulan ultra-thin fibers loaded with fish oil and obtained by electrospinning was investigated. Pullulan sub-micron fibers containing 10 and 30wt% fish oil were prepared and both presented...... into food matrices. These results show the feasibility to encapsulate fish oil in pullulan ultra-thin fibers and to improve their oxidative stability by adding natural antioxidants such as δ-tocopherol and rosemary extract. Therefore, this study might open up new opportunities for further technological...... development in the production of omega-3 nanodelivery systems, which have potential applications in different types of fortified foods. Encapsulation of fish oil in electrospun pullulan fibers stabilized by natural antioxidants....

Electrospun Polyurethane Fibers for Absorption of Volatile Organic Compounds from Air

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scholten, E.; Bromberg, L.; Rutledge, G.C.; Hatton, T.A.

2011-01-01

Electrospun polyurethane fibers for removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from air with rapid VOC absorption and desorption have been developed. Polyurethanes based on 4,4-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) (MDI) and aliphatic isophorone diisocyanate as the hard segments and butanediol and

Solution-blown nanofiber mats from fish sarcoplasmic protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sett, S.; Boutrup Stephansen, Karen; Yarin, A.L.

2016-01-01

In the present work, solution-blowing was adopted to form nanofibers from fish sarcoplasmic proteins (FSPs). Nanofiber mats containing different weight ratios (up to 90/10) of FSP in the FSP/nylon 6 blended nanofibers were formed from formic acid solutions, and compared to electrospun fibers made...... that the production rate of solution-blowing was increased 30-fold in relation to electrospinning. Overall, this study reveals FSP as an interesting biopolymeric alternative to synthetic polymers, and the introduction of FSP to nylon 6 provides a composite with controlled properties....

Composite poly(vinyl alcohol/poly(vinyl acetate electrospun nanofibrous mats as a novel wound dressing matrix for controlled release of drugs

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Jannesari M

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Marziyeh Jannesari1, Jaleh Varshosaz2, Mohammad Morshed1, Maedeh Zamani11Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran; 2Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IranAbstract: The aim of this study was to develop novel biomedicated nanofiber electrospun mats for controlled drug release, especially drug release directly to an injury site to accelerate wound healing. Nanofibers of poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA, poly(vinyl acetate (PVAc, and a 50:50 composite blend, loaded with ciprofloxacin HCl (CipHCl, were successfully prepared by an electrospinning technique for the first time. The morphology and average diameter of the electrospun nanofibers were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction studies indicated an amorphous distribution of the drug inside the nanofiber blend. Introducing the drug into polymeric solutions significantly decreased solution viscosities as well as nanofiber diameter. In vitro drug release evaluations showed that both the kind of polymer and the amount of drug loaded greatly affected the degree of swelling, weight loss, and initial burst and rate of drug release. Blending PVA and PVAc exhibited a useful and convenient method for electrospinning in order to control the rate and period of drug release in wound healing applications. Also, the thickness of the blend nanofiber mats strongly influenced the initial release and rate of drug release.Keywords: biodegradable polymers, drug delivery, controlled release, electrospun nanofibers, wound dressing

Enhancement of the in-plane shear properties of carbon fiber composites containing carbon nanotube mats

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hansang

2015-01-01

The in-plane shear property of carbon fiber laminates is one of the most important structural features of aerospace and marine structures. Fiber-matrix debonding caused by in-plane shear loading is the major failure mode of carbon fiber composites because of the stress concentration at the interfaces. In this study, carbon nanotube mats (CNT mat) were incorporated in two different types of carbon fiber composites. For the case of woven fabric composites, mechanical interlocking between the CNTs and the carbon fibers increased resistance to shear failure. However, not much improvement was observed for the prepreg composites as a result of incorporation of the CNT mats. The reinforcement mechanism of the CNT mat layer was investigated by a fractographic study using scanning electron microscopy. In addition, the CNT mat was functionalized by three different methods and the effectiveness of the functionalization methods was determined and the most appropriate functionalization method for the CNT mat was air oxidation.

Trends in polymeric electrospun fibers and their use as oral biomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Meireles, Agnes B; Corrêa, Daniella K; da Silveira, João Vw; Millás, Ana Lg; Bittencourt, Edison; de Brito-Melo, Gustavo Ea; González-Torres, Libardo A

2018-05-01

Electrospinning is one of the techniques to produce structured polymeric fibers in the micro or nano scale and to generate novel materials for biomedical proposes. Electrospinning versatility provides fibers that could support different surgical and rehabilitation treatments. However, its diversity in equipment assembly, polymeric materials, and functional molecules to be incorporated in fibers result in profusion of recent biomaterials that are not fully explored, even though the recognized relevance of the technique. The present article describes the main electrospun polymeric materials used in oral applications, and the main aspects and parameters of the technique. Natural and synthetic polymers, blends, and composites were identified from the available literature and recent developments. Main applications of electrospun fibers were focused on drug delivery systems, tissue regeneration, and material reinforcement or modification, although studies require further investigation in order to enable direct use in human. Current and potential usages as biomaterials for oral applications must motivate the development in the use of electrospinning as an efficient method to produce highly innovative biomaterials, over the next few years. Impact statement Nanotechnology is a challenge for many researchers that look for obtaining different materials behaviors by modifying characteristics at a very low scale. Thus, the production of nanostructured materials represents a very important field in bioengineering, in which the electrospinning technique appears as a suitable alternative. This review discusses and provides further explanation on this versatile technique to produce novel polymeric biomaterials for oral applications. The use of electrospun fibers is incipient in oral areas, mainly because of the unfamiliarity with the technique. Provided disclosure, possibilities and state of the art are aimed at supporting interested researchers to better choose proper materials

Photocatalytic and antibacterial properties of a TiO{sub 2}/nylon-6 electrospun nanocomposite mat containing silver nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pant, Hem Raj [Department of Bionanosystem Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Engineering Science and Humanities, Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu (Nepal); Pandeya, Dipendra Raj [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Medical Science, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Nam, Ki Taek; Baek, Woo-il [Department of Textile Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Seong Tshool [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Medical Science, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hak Yong, E-mail: khy@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of Textile Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-05-15

Silver-impregnated TiO{sub 2}/nylon-6 nanocomposite mats exhibit excellent characteristics as a filter media with good photocatalytic and antibacterial properties and durability for repeated use. Silver nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully embedded in electrospun TiO{sub 2}/nylon-6 composite nanofibers through the photocatalytic reduction of silver nitrate solution under UV-light irradiation. TiO{sub 2} NPs present in nylon-6 solution were able to cause the formation of a high aspect ratio spider-wave-like structure during electrospinning and facilitated the UV photoreduction of AgNO{sub 3} to Ag. TEM images, UV-visible and XRD spectra confirmed that monodisperse Ag NPs (approximately 4 nm in size) were deposited selectively upon the TiO{sub 2} NPs of the prepared nanocomposite mat. The antibacterial property of a TiO{sub 2}/nylon-6 composite mat loaded with Ag NPs was tested against Escherichia coli, and the photoactive property was tested against methylene blue. All of the results showed that TiO{sub 2}/nylon-6 nanocomposite mats loaded with Ag NPs are more effective than composite mats without Ag NPs. The prepared material has potential as an economically friendly photocatalyst and water filter media because it allows the NPs to be reused.

Engineered Polymer Composites Through Electrospun Nanofiber Coating of Fiber Tows

Science.gov (United States)

Kohlman, Lee W.; Bakis, Charles; Williams, Tiffany S.; Johnston, James C.; Kuczmarski, Maria A.; Roberts, Gary D.

2014-01-01

Composite materials offer significant weight savings in many aerospace applications. The toughness of the interface of fibers crossing at different angles often determines failure of composite components. A method for toughening the interface in fabric and filament wound components using directly electrospun thermoplastic nanofiber on carbon fiber tow is presented. The method was first demonstrated with limited trials, and then was scaled up to a continuous lab scale process. Filament wound tubes were fabricated and tested using unmodified baseline towpreg material and nanofiber coated towpreg.

Delivery of Therapeutic Proteins Using Electrospun Fibers-Recent Developments and Current Challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Seif, Salem; Planz, Viktoria; Windbergs, Maike

2017-10-01

Proteins play a vital role within the human body by regulating various functions and even serving as structural constituent of many body parts. In this context, protein-based therapeutics have attracted a lot of attention in the last few decades as potential treatment of different diseases. Due to the steadily increasing interest in protein-based therapeutics, different dosage forms were investigated for delivering such complex macromolecules to the human body. Here, electrospun fibers hold a great potential for embedding proteins without structural damage and for controlled release of the protein for therapeutic applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of protein-based carrier systems using electrospun fibers, with special emphasis on discussing their potential and key challenges in developing such therapeutic strategies, along with a prospective view of anticipated future directions. © 2017 Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft.

Effects of Neutralization and Crosslinking Agents on the Morphology of Chitosan Electrospun Scaffolds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Mashayekhi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Chitosan, a natural polymer derived from chitin by deacetylation process of chitin, has gained an enormous interest in tissue engineering due to its unique features such as antibacterial activity and wound healing properties. Electrospinning of acidified chitosan solution is one of the most widely-used approaches in fabrication of 3D scaffolds. Although there are some reports addressing morphology tailoring of the chitosan nanofibers through solution electrospinning, there is no comparative report concerning the neutralization and stabilization conditions of chitosan electrospun fibers. Therefore, this article compares the effects of different neutralizing agents such as aqueous solutions of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3 and potassium carbonate (K2CO3, and crosslinking reagents including glutaraldehyde (GA and genipin on morphology of electrospun chitosan fibers. After neutralization and stabilization processes, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR was employed to investigate the morphology of fibers. Furthermore, the influence of the aforementioned parameters on stability of fibers was probed using scanning electron microscopy. SEM images illustrated that the scaffold resulting from electrospinning of 4 wt% chitosan solution in a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA and dichloromethane (DCM possessed a well-formed nanofibrous structure. Afterwards, different methods for neutralization and stabilization of the electrospun chitosan nanofiber mats were performed. In this respect, aqueous solutions of both Na2CO3 and K2CO3 salts (1M were employed as neutralization agents and GA and genipin were used as two different crosslinking agents. Based on SEM analysis, the chitosan fibers, crosslinked with genipin, showed better morphology than a scaffold which was crosslinked with glutaraldehyde

Endothelial differentiation of human stem cells seeded onto electrospun polyhydroxybutyrate/polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate fiber mesh.

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Alessandra Zonari

Full Text Available Tissue engineering is based on the association of cultured cells with structural matrices and the incorporation of signaling molecules for inducing tissue regeneration. Despite its enormous potential, tissue engineering faces a major challenge concerning the maintenance of cell viability after the implantation of the constructs. The lack of a functional vasculature within the implant compromises the delivery of nutrients to and removal of metabolites from the cells, which can lead to implant failure. In this sense, our investigation aims to develop a new strategy for enhancing vascularization in tissue engineering constructs. This study's aim was to establish a culture of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hASCs to evaluate the biocompatibility of electrospun fiber mesh made of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB and its copolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHB-HV and to promote the differentiation of hASCs into the endothelial lineage. Fiber mesh was produced by blending 30% PHB with 70% PHB-HV and its physical characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM. Using electrospinning, fiber mesh was obtained with diameters ranging 300 nm to 1.3 µm. To assess the biological performance, hASCs were extracted, cultured, characterized by flow cytometry, expanded and seeded onto electrospun PHB/PHB-HV fiber mesh. Various aspects of the cells were analyzed in vitro using SEM, MTT assay and Calcein-AM staining. The in vitro evaluation demonstrated good adhesion and a normal morphology of the hASCs. After 7, 14 and 21 days of seeding hASCs onto electrospun PHB/PHB-HV fiber mesh, the cells remained viable and proliferative. Moreover, when cultured with endothelial differentiation medium (i.e., medium containing VEGF and bFGF, the hASCs expressed endothelial markers such as VE-Cadherin and the vWF factor. Therefore, the electrospun PHB/PHB-HV fiber mesh appears to be a suitable material that can be used in

Endothelial differentiation of human stem cells seeded onto electrospun polyhydroxybutyrate/polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate fiber mesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Zonari, Alessandra; Novikoff, Silviene; Electo, Naira R P; Breyner, Natália M; Gomes, Dawidson A; Martins, Albino; Neves, Nuno M; Reis, Rui L; Goes, Alfredo M

2012-01-01

Tissue engineering is based on the association of cultured cells with structural matrices and the incorporation of signaling molecules for inducing tissue regeneration. Despite its enormous potential, tissue engineering faces a major challenge concerning the maintenance of cell viability after the implantation of the constructs. The lack of a functional vasculature within the implant compromises the delivery of nutrients to and removal of metabolites from the cells, which can lead to implant failure. In this sense, our investigation aims to develop a new strategy for enhancing vascularization in tissue engineering constructs. This study's aim was to establish a culture of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hASCs) to evaluate the biocompatibility of electrospun fiber mesh made of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and its copolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHB-HV) and to promote the differentiation of hASCs into the endothelial lineage. Fiber mesh was produced by blending 30% PHB with 70% PHB-HV and its physical characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM). Using electrospinning, fiber mesh was obtained with diameters ranging 300 nm to 1.3 µm. To assess the biological performance, hASCs were extracted, cultured, characterized by flow cytometry, expanded and seeded onto electrospun PHB/PHB-HV fiber mesh. Various aspects of the cells were analyzed in vitro using SEM, MTT assay and Calcein-AM staining. The in vitro evaluation demonstrated good adhesion and a normal morphology of the hASCs. After 7, 14 and 21 days of seeding hASCs onto electrospun PHB/PHB-HV fiber mesh, the cells remained viable and proliferative. Moreover, when cultured with endothelial differentiation medium (i.e., medium containing VEGF and bFGF), the hASCs expressed endothelial markers such as VE-Cadherin and the vWF factor. Therefore, the electrospun PHB/PHB-HV fiber mesh appears to be a suitable material that can be used in combination with

Shape Memory Composites Based on Electrospun Poly(vinyl alcohol) Fibers and a Thermoplastic Polyether Block Amide Elastomer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirole, Anuja; Sapkota, Janak; Foster, E Johan; Weder, Christoph

2016-03-01

The present study aimed at developing new thermally responsive shape-memory composites, that were fabricated by compacting mats of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) fibers and sheets of a thermoplastic polyether block amide elastomer (PEBA). This design was based on the expectation that the combination of the rubber elasticity of the PEBA matrix and the mechanical switching exploitable through the reversible glass transition temperature (Tg) of the PVA filler could be combined to create materials that display shape memory characteristics as an emergent effect. Dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) show that, upon introduction of 10-20% w/w PVA fibers, the room-temperature storage modulus (E') increased by a factor of 4-5 in comparison to the neat PEBA, and they reveal a stepwise reduction of E' around the Tg of PVA (85 °C). This transition could indeed be utilized to fix a temporary shape and recover the permanent shape. At low strain, the fixity was 66 ± 14% and the recovery was 98 ± 2%. Overall, the data validate a simple and practical strategy for the fabrication of shape memory composites that involves a melt compaction process and employs two commercially available polymers.

The effect of poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid composition on the mechanical properties of electrospun fibrous mats.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, X; Aho, J; Baldursdottir, S; Bohr, A; Qu, H; Christensen, L P; Rantanen, J; Yang, M

2017-08-30

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of polymer molecular structure on the electrospinnability and mechanical properties of electrospun fibrous mats (EFMs). Polymers with similar molecular weight but different composition ratios (lactic acid (LA) and glycolic acid (GA)) were dissolved in binary mixtures of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and tetrahydrofuran (THF). The intrinsic viscosity and rheological properties of polymer solutions were investigated prior to electrospinning. The morphology and mechanical properties of the resulting EFMs were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Sufficiently high inter-molecular interactions were found to be a prerequisite to ensure the formation of fibers in the electrospinning process, regardless the polymer composition. The higher the amount of GA in the polymer composition, the more ordered and entangled molecules were formed after electrospinning from the solution in THF-DMF, which resulted in higher Young's modulus and tensile strength of the EFMs. In conclusion, this study shows that the mechanical properties of EFMs, which depend on the polymer molecule-solvent affinity, can be predicted by the inter-molecular interactions in the starting polymer solutions and over the drying process of electrospinning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) copolymer/octahydroxy-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nanofibrous mats as ionic liquid host: enhanced salt dissociation and its function in electrochromic device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Rui; Pramoda, Kumari Pallathadka; Liu, Wanshuang; Zhou, Dan; Ding, Guoqiang; He, Chaobin; Leong, Yew Wei; Lu, Xuehong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The well dispersed POSS-OH promotes the dissociation of both LiClO 4 and BMIM + BF 4 − . • POSS-OH significantly increases the ionic conductivity and lithium transference number. • POSS-OH containing electrolyte improves the optical contrast of electrochromic device. - Abstract: Electrospun polymer nanofibrous mats loaded with ionic liquids (ILs) and lithium salts are promising non-volatile electrolytes owing to their high ionic conductivities. However, the large cations of ILs are difficult to diffuse into solid electrodes, whereas the lithium ions in ILs tend to form anionic complexes with the IL anions, reducing the number of free lithium ions. To address these issues, octa(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyldimethylsiloxy) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-OH), which has large specific surface area and functionality number, is incorporated into electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-co-HFP) nanofibrous mats, and the mats are used to host LiClO 4 /1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM + BF 4 − ). It is found that POSS-OH can significantly increase both ionic conductivity and lithium transference number of the electrolytes owing to the Lewis acid-base interactions of POSS-OH with ClO 4 − and BF 4 − . The electrochromic device using the hybrid mat (with 5 wt% POSS-OH) loaded with LiClO 4 /BMIM + BF 4 − as the electrolyte shows significantly improved transmittance contrast and switching time, as a result of increased number of free lithium ions

Cell behaviors on magnetic electrospun poly-D, L-lactide nanofibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Long; Yang, Guang; Li, Jinrong; Ding, Shan; Zhou, Shaobing

2014-01-01

It is widely accepted that magnetic fields have an influence on cell behaviors, but the effects are still not very clear since the magnetic field's type, intensity and exposure time are different. In this study, a static magnetic field (SMF) in moderate intensity (10 mT) was employed to investigate its effect on osteoblast and 3T3 fibroblast cell behaviors cultured respectively with magnetic polymer nanofiber mats. The magnetic mats composed of random oriented or aligned polymer nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning the mixed solution of poly-D, L-lactide (PLA) and iron oxide nanoparticles. The fiber morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the nanoparticle distribution in fiber matrix was measured with transmission electron microscope (TEM). Mechanical properties of nanofiber mats are studied by uniaxial tensile test. The results showed the nanofibers loaded with magnetic nanoparticles displayed excellent magnetic responsibility and biodegradability. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that the osteoblast proliferation of all fiber mats stimulated with or without SMF was increased with the increase of the culturing days. Furthermore, in the horizontal SMFs, cell orientation tended to deviate from nanofiber orientation to field direction while the nanofiber orientation is perpendicular to the field direction, while the horizonal direction of SMFs could also direct the cell growth orientation. The magnetic nanofiber mats provide a potential platform to explore the cell behaviors under the stimulation of external magnetic field. - Highlights: • The random oriented and aligned magnetic electrospun nanofibers were prepared. • The nanofibers displayed excellent magnetic responsibility and biodegradability. • The horizonal direction of SMFs could also direct the cell growth orientation

Colorimetric Sensor for Detection of Adulteration in Gasoline using Polydiacetyleneelectro-Spun Fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shamshad Ali

2016-06-01

Full Text Available We report the successful incorporation of pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA in poly(Ɛ-caprolactone (PCL by electro-spinning technique for sensor application. The UV-polymerization of the resulting electro-spun fibers mats (EFMs produced polydiacetylenes (PDA polymer exhibiting blue color. The PCL-PDA EFMs were characterized by Raman Spectroscopy, UV-Vis Spectroscopy and FE-SEM analysis. Sensor test results revealed that the treatment of the PCL-PDA EFMs with adulterated gasoline showed a blue to red color transitionrapidly. FE-SEM images demonstrated that the thinner or toluene used as an adulterant in the gasoline destroyed the PCL electro-spun fibers; which gave access to PDA polymer producing red color.

Interactions between Surfactants in Solution and Electrospun Protein Fibers: Effects on Release Behavior and Fiber Properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boutrup Stephansen, Karen; García-Díaz, María; Jessen, Flemming

2016-01-01

, and drug delivery. In the present study, we present a systematic investigation of how surfactants and proteins, as physiologically relevant components, interact with insulin-loaded fish sarcoplasmic protein (FSP) electrospun fibers (FSP-Ins fibers) in solution and thereby affect fiber properties...... such as accessible surface hydrophilicity, physical stability, and release characteristics of an encapsulated drug. Interactions between insulin-loaded protein fibers and five anionic surfactants (sodium taurocholate, sodium taurodeoxycholate, sodium glycocholate, sodium glycodeoxycholate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate......), a cationic surfactant (benzalkonium chloride), and a neutral surfactant (Triton X-100) were studied. The anionic surfactants increased the insulin release in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas the neutral surfactant had no significant effect on the release. Interestingly, only minute amounts...

Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers Reinforced by Tannic Acid/Fe+++ Complexes †

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Weiqiao; Sousa, Ana M. M.; Thomas-Gahring, Audrey; Fan, Xuetong; Jin, Tony; Li, Xihong; Tomasula, Peggy M.; Liu, LinShu

2016-01-01

We report the successful preparation of reinforced electrospun nanofibers and fibrous mats of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) via a simple and inexpensive method using stable tannic acid (TA) and ferric ion (Fe+++) assemblies formed by solution mixing and pH adjustment. Changes in solution pH change the number of TA galloyl groups attached to the Fe+++ from one (pH PVA and TA. At pH ~ 5.5, the morphology and fiber diameter size (FDS) examined by SEM are determinant for the mechanical properties of the fibrous mats and depend on the PVA content. At an optimal 8 wt % concentration, PVA becomes fully entangled and forms uniform nanofibers with smaller FDS (p mechanical properties when compared to mats of PVA alone and of PVA with TA (p mechanical properties (p 0.05) suggesting the potential of TA-Fe+++ assemblies to reinforce polymer nanofibers with high functionality for use in diverse applications including food, biomedical and pharmaceutical. PMID:28773876

Image-based quantification of fiber alignment within electrospun tissue engineering scaffolds is related to mechanical anisotropy.

Science.gov (United States)

Fee, Timothy; Downs, Crawford; Eberhardt, Alan; Zhou, Yong; Berry, Joel

2016-07-01

It is well documented that electrospun tissue engineering scaffolds can be fabricated with variable degrees of fiber alignment to produce scaffolds with anisotropic mechanical properties. Several attempts have been made to quantify the degree of fiber alignment within an electrospun scaffold using image-based methods. However, these methods are limited by the inability to produce a quantitative measure of alignment that can be used to make comparisons across publications. Therefore, we have developed a new approach to quantifying the alignment present within a scaffold from scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images. The alignment is determined by using the Sobel approximation of the image gradient to determine the distribution of gradient angles with an image. This data was fit to a Von Mises distribution to find the dispersion parameter κ, which was used as a quantitative measure of fiber alignment. We fabricated four groups of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) + Gelatin scaffolds with alignments ranging from κ = 1.9 (aligned) to κ = 0.25 (random) and tested our alignment quantification method on these scaffolds. It was found that our alignment quantification method could distinguish between scaffolds of different alignments more accurately than two other published methods. Additionally, the alignment parameter κ was found to be a good predictor the mechanical anisotropy of our electrospun scaffolds. The ability to quantify fiber alignment within and make direct comparisons of scaffold fiber alignment across publications can reduce ambiguity between published results where cells are cultured on "highly aligned" fibrous scaffolds. This could have important implications for characterizing mechanics and cellular behavior on aligned tissue engineering scaffolds. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1680-1686, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)/Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite nanohybrids: Microstructure, mechanical properties and cell response by murine embryonic stem cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianco, Alessandra; Di Federico, Erica; Moscatelli, Ilana; Camaioni, Antonella; Armentano, Ilaria; Campagnolo, Luisa; Dottori, Mariaserena; Kenny, Jose Maria; Siracusa, Gregorio; Gusmano, Gualtiero

2009-01-01

Nanohybrid scaffolds mimicking extracellular matrix are promising experimental models to study stem cell behaviour, in terms of adhesion and proliferation. In the present study, the structural characterization of a novel electrospun nanohybrid and the analysis of cell response by a highly sensitive cell type, embryonic stem (ES) cells, are investigated. Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite nanocrystals (d-HAp) were synthesized by precipitation. Fibrous PCL/d-HAp nanohybrids were obtained by electrospinning, d-HAp content ranging between 2 and 55 wt.%. Electrospun mats showed a non-woven architecture, average fiber size was 1.5 ±0.5 μm, porosity 80-90%, and specific surface area 16 m 2 g -1 . Up to 6.4 wt.% d-HAp content, the nanohybrids displayed comparable microstructural, mechanical and dynamo-mechanical properties. Murine ES cell response to neat PCL and to nanohybrid PCL/d-HAp (6.4 wt.%) mats was evaluated by analyzing morphological, metabolic and functional markers. Cells growing on either scaffold proliferated and maintained pluripotency markers at essentially the same rate as cells growing on standard tissue culture plates with no detectable signs of cytotoxicity, despite a lower cell adhesion at the beginning of culture. These results indicate that electrospun PCL scaffolds may provide adequate supports for murine ES cell proliferation in a pluripotent state, and that the presence of d-HAp within the mat does not interfere with their growth.

Layer-by-layer immobilized catalase on electrospun nanofibrous mats protects against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Rong; Deng, Hongbing; Cai, Tongjian; Zhan, Yingfei; Wang, Xiankai; Chen, Xuanxuan; Ji, Ailing; Lil, Xueyong

2014-07-01

Catalase, a kind of redox enzyme and generally recognized as an efficient agent for protecting cells against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cytotoxicity. The immobilization of catalase was accomplished by depositing the positively charged chitosan and the negatively charged catalase on electrospun cellulose nanofibrous mats through electrospining and layer-by-layer (LBL) techniques. The morphology obtained from Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) indicated that more orderly arranged three-dimension (3D) structure and roughness formed with increasing the number of coating bilayers. Besides, the enzyme-immobilized nanofibrous mats were found with high enzyme loading and activity, moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results further demonstrated the successful immobilization of chitosan and catalase on cellulose nanofibers support. Furthermore, we evaluated the cytotoxicity induced by hydrogen peroxide in the Human umbilical vascular endothelial cells with or without pretreatment of nanofibrous mats by MTT assay, LDH activity and Flow cytometric evaluation, and confirmed the pronounced hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity, but pretreatment of immobilized catalase reduced the cytotoxicity and protected cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxic effects which were further demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images. The data pointed toward a role of catalase-immobilized nanofibrous mats in protecting cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced cellular damage and their potential application in biomedical field.

Short-Term Degradation of Bi-Component Electrospun Fibers: Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluations via AFM Analysis

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Marica Marrese

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Electrospun polymeric fibers are currently used as 3D models for in vitro applications in biomedical areas, i.e., tissue engineering, cell and drug delivery. The high customization of the electrospinning process offers numerous opportunities to manipulate and control surface area, fiber diameter, and fiber density to evaluate the response of cells under different morphological and/or biochemical stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate—via atomic force microscopy (AFM—the chemical and morphological changes in bi-component electrospun fibers (BEFs during the in vitro degradation process using a biological medium. BEFs were fabricated by electrospinning a mixture of synthetic-polycaprolactone (PCL-and natural polymers (gelatin into a binary solution. During the hydrolytic degradation of protein, no significant remarkable effects were recognized in terms of fiber integrity. However, increases in surface roughness as well as a decrease in fiber diameter as a function of the degradation conditions were detected. We suggest that morphological and chemical changes due to the local release of gelatin positively influence cell behavior in culture, in terms of cell adhesion and spreading, thus working to mimic the native microenvironment of natural tissues.

Electrospun Collagen/Silk Tissue Engineering Scaffolds: Fiber Fabrication, Post-Treatment Optimization, and Application in Neural Differentiation of Stem Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Bofan

Biocompatible scaffolds mimicking the locally aligned fibrous structure of native extracellular matrix (ECM) are in high demand in tissue engineering. In this thesis research, unidirectionally aligned fibers were generated via a home-built electrospinning system. Collagen type I, as a major ECM component, was chosen in this study due to its support of cell proliferation and promotion of neuroectodermal commitment in stem cell differentiation. Synthetic dragline silk proteins, as biopolymers with remarkable tensile strength and superior elasticity, were also used as a model material. Good alignment, controllable fiber size and morphology, as well as a desirable deposition density of fibers were achieved via the optimization of solution and electrospinning parameters. The incorporation of silk proteins into collagen was found to significantly enhance mechanical properties and stability of electrospun fibers. Glutaraldehyde (GA) vapor post-treatment was demonstrated as a simple and effective way to tune the properties of collagen/silk fibers without changing their chemical composition. With 6-12 hours GA treatment, electrospun collagen/silk fibers were not only biocompatible, but could also effectively induce the polarization and neural commitment of stem cells, which were optimized on collagen rich fibers due to the unique combination of biochemical and biophysical cues imposed to cells. Taken together, electrospun collagen rich composite fibers are mechanically strong, stable and provide excellent cell adhesion. The unidirectionally aligned fibers can accelerate neural differentiation of stem cells, representing a promising therapy for neural tissue degenerative diseases and nerve injuries.

Effect Of Ethylene Oxide, Autoclave and Ultra Violet Sterilizations On Surface Topography Of Pet Electrospun Fibers

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Sebnem DUZYER

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study to investigate the effects of different sterilization methods on electrospun polyester. Ethylene oxide (EO, autoclave (AU and ultraviolet (UV sterilization methods were applied to electrospun fibers produced from polyethylene terephthalate (PET solutions with concentrations of 10, 15 and 20 wt.%. The surface characteristics of the fibers were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM, atomic force microscope (AFM, surface pore size studies and contact angle measurements. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC tests were carried out to characterize the thermal properties. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR tests were performed to analyze the micro structural properties. SEM studies showed that different sterilization methods made significant changes on the surfaces of the fibers depending on the PET concentration. Although the effects were decreased with the increasing polymer concentration, the fiber structure was damaged especially with the EO sterilization. The contact angle values were decreased with the UV sterilization method the most.

Cell orientation and regulation of cell–cell communication in human mesenchymal stem cells on different patterns of electrospun fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Jui-Chih; Fujita, Satoshi; Tonami, Hiroyuki; Iwata, Hiroo; Kato, Koichi; Hsu, Shan-hui

2013-01-01

Cell behavior can be manipulated by the topography of the culture surface. In this study, we examined the intercellular communication and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) grown on electrospun fibers with different orientations and densities. Human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hMSCs) were seeded on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun scaffolds composed of aligned (1D) or cross-aligned (2D) fibers (1.0–1.2 µm diameter) with high, medium, or low fiber densities. It was found that cells preferred to adhere onto electrospun PCL fibers rather than on the flat substrate. The immunofluorescence staining showed that the expression of vinculin, a focal adhesion protein, was limited to the periphery and the two extremities of aligned cells on the edge of the fibers. Electron microscopy showed that cells extended their lamellipodia across the adjacent fibers and proliferated along the direction of fibers. Cells grown on 1D fibrous scaffolds at all fiber densities had an obvious alignment. On 2D fibers, a higher degree of cell alignment was observed at the higher fiber density. On 1D scaffolds, the gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) quantified by the lucifer yellow dye transfer assay was significantly promoted in the aligned cells in the direction parallel to the fibers but was abolished in the direction perpendicular to the fibers. The expression of osteogenic marker genes (RUNX2, ALP, and OCN) was significantly enhanced in seven days by culture on 1D but not 2D fibers. It was thus proposed that the promoted osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs may be associated with the fiber-guided and directional induction of GJIC. (paper)

Polymer solution, fiber mat, and nanofiber membrane-electrode-assembly therewith, and method of fabricating same

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2016-01-01

of fibers. The fibers may further include particles of a catalyst. The fiber mat may be used to form an electrode or a membrane. In a further aspect, a fuel cell membrane-electrode-assembly has an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a membrane disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode...... electrode. Each of the anode electrode, the cathode electrode and the membrane may be formed with a fiber mat....

Role of solvent-mediated carbodiimide cross-linking in fabrication of electrospun gelatin nanofibrous membranes as ophthalmic biomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Shih-Feng; Luo, Li-Jyuan; Lai, Jui-Yang; Ma, David Hui-Kang

2017-01-01

Due to their ability to mimic the structure of extracellular matrix, electrospun gelatin nanofibers are promising cell scaffolding materials for tissue engineering applications. However, the hydrophilic gelatin molecules usually need stabilization before use in aqueous physiological environment. Considering that biomaterials cross-linked via film immersion technique may have a more homogeneous cross-linked structure than vapor phase cross-linking, this work aims to investigate the chemical modification of electrospun gelatin nanofibrous membranes by liquid phase carbodiimide in the presence of ethanol/water co-solvents with varying ethanol concentrations ranging from 80 to 99.5 vol%. The results of characterization showed that increasing water content in the binary reaction solvent system increases the extent of cross-linking of gelatin nanofibers, but simultaneously promotes the effect of biopolymer swelling and distortion in fiber mat structure. As compared to non-cross-linked counterparts, carbodiimide treated gelatin nanofibrous mats exhibited better thermal and biological stability where the shrinkage temperature and resistance to enzymatic degradation varied in response to ethanol/water solvent composition-mediated generation of cross-links. Irrespective of their cross-linking density, all studied membrane samples did not induce any responses in ocular epithelial cell cultures derived from cornea, lens, and retina. Unlike many other cross-linking agents and/or methods (e.g., excessive vapor phase cross-linking) that may pose a risk of toxicity, our study demonstrated that these nanofibrous materials are well tolerated by anterior segment tissues. These findings also indicate the safety of using ethanol/water co-solvents for chemical cross-linking of gelatin to engineer nanofibrous materials with negligible biological effects. In summary, the present results suggest the importance of solvent-mediated carbodiimide cross-linking in modulating structure�

Role of solvent-mediated carbodiimide cross-linking in fabrication of electrospun gelatin nanofibrous membranes as ophthalmic biomaterials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chou, Shih-Feng [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799 (United States); Luo, Li-Jyuan [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lai, Jui-Yang, E-mail: jylai@mail.cgu.edu.tw [Institute of Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC (China); Biomedical Engineering Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC (China); Center for Tissue Engineering, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan, ROC (China); Ma, David Hui-Kang [Center for Tissue Engineering, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2017-02-01

Due to their ability to mimic the structure of extracellular matrix, electrospun gelatin nanofibers are promising cell scaffolding materials for tissue engineering applications. However, the hydrophilic gelatin molecules usually need stabilization before use in aqueous physiological environment. Considering that biomaterials cross-linked via film immersion technique may have a more homogeneous cross-linked structure than vapor phase cross-linking, this work aims to investigate the chemical modification of electrospun gelatin nanofibrous membranes by liquid phase carbodiimide in the presence of ethanol/water co-solvents with varying ethanol concentrations ranging from 80 to 99.5 vol%. The results of characterization showed that increasing water content in the binary reaction solvent system increases the extent of cross-linking of gelatin nanofibers, but simultaneously promotes the effect of biopolymer swelling and distortion in fiber mat structure. As compared to non-cross-linked counterparts, carbodiimide treated gelatin nanofibrous mats exhibited better thermal and biological stability where the shrinkage temperature and resistance to enzymatic degradation varied in response to ethanol/water solvent composition-mediated generation of cross-links. Irrespective of their cross-linking density, all studied membrane samples did not induce any responses in ocular epithelial cell cultures derived from cornea, lens, and retina. Unlike many other cross-linking agents and/or methods (e.g., excessive vapor phase cross-linking) that may pose a risk of toxicity, our study demonstrated that these nanofibrous materials are well tolerated by anterior segment tissues. These findings also indicate the safety of using ethanol/water co-solvents for chemical cross-linking of gelatin to engineer nanofibrous materials with negligible biological effects. In summary, the present results suggest the importance of solvent-mediated carbodiimide cross-linking in modulating structure�

Mechanical characterization of glass fiber (woven roving/chopped strand mat E-glass fiber) reinforced polyester composites

Science.gov (United States)

Bhaskar, V. Vijaya; Srinivas, Kolla

2017-07-01

Polymer reinforced composites have been replacing most of the engineering material and their applications become more and more day by day. Polymer composites have been analyzing from past thirty five years for their betterment for adapting more applications. This paper aims at the mechanical properties of polyester reinforced with glass fiber composites. The glass fiber is reinforced with polyester in two forms viz Woven Rovings (WRG) and Chopped Strand Mat (CSMG) E-glass fibers. The composites are fabricated by hand lay-up technique and the composites are cut as per ASTM Standard sizes for corresponding tests like flexural, compression and impact tests, so that flexural strength, compression strength, impact strength and inter laminar shear stress(ILSS) of polymer matrix composites are analyzed. From the tests and further calculations, the polyester composites reinforced with Chopped Strand Mat glass fiber have shown better performance against flexural load, compression load and impact load than that of Woven Roving glass fiber.

Polyelectrolyte-Functionalized Nanofiber Mats Control the Collection and Inactivation of Escherichia coli

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Katrina A. Rieger

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Quantifying the effect that nanofiber mat chemistry and hydrophilicity have on microorganism collection and inactivation is critical in biomedical applications. In this study, the collection and inactivation of Escherichia coli K12 was examined using cellulose nanofiber mats that were surface-functionalized using three polyelectrolytes: poly (acrylic acid (PAA, chitosan (CS, and polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (pDADMAC. The polyelectrolyte functionalized nanofiber mats retained the cylindrical morphology and average fiber diameter (~0.84 µm of the underlying cellulose nanofibers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and contact angle measurements confirmed the presence of polycations or polyanions on the surface of the nanofiber mats. Both the control cellulose and pDADMAC-functionalized nanofiber mats exhibited a high collection of E. coli K12, which suggests that mat hydrophilicity may play a larger role than surface charge on cell collection. While the minimum concentration of polycations needed to inhibit E. coli K12 was 800 µg/mL for both CS and pDADMAC, once immobilized, pDADMAC-functionalized nanofiber mats exhibited a higher inactivation of E. coli K12, (~97%. Here, we demonstrate that the collection and inactivation of microorganisms by electrospun cellulose nanofiber mats can be tailored through a facile polyelectrolyte functionalization process.

Polyelectrolyte-Functionalized Nanofiber Mats Control the Collection and Inactivation of Escherichia coli

Science.gov (United States)

Rieger, Katrina A.; Porter, Michael; Schiffman, Jessica D.

2016-01-01

Quantifying the effect that nanofiber mat chemistry and hydrophilicity have on microorganism collection and inactivation is critical in biomedical applications. In this study, the collection and inactivation of Escherichia coli K12 was examined using cellulose nanofiber mats that were surface-functionalized using three polyelectrolytes: poly (acrylic acid) (PAA), chitosan (CS), and polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (pDADMAC). The polyelectrolyte functionalized nanofiber mats retained the cylindrical morphology and average fiber diameter (~0.84 µm) of the underlying cellulose nanofibers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements confirmed the presence of polycations or polyanions on the surface of the nanofiber mats. Both the control cellulose and pDADMAC-functionalized nanofiber mats exhibited a high collection of E. coli K12, which suggests that mat hydrophilicity may play a larger role than surface charge on cell collection. While the minimum concentration of polycations needed to inhibit E. coli K12 was 800 µg/mL for both CS and pDADMAC, once immobilized, pDADMAC-functionalized nanofiber mats exhibited a higher inactivation of E. coli K12, (~97%). Here, we demonstrate that the collection and inactivation of microorganisms by electrospun cellulose nanofiber mats can be tailored through a facile polyelectrolyte functionalization process. PMID:28773422

Design and Characterization of Electrospun Polyamide Nanofiber Media for Air Filtration Applications

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Jonas Matulevicius

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Electrospun polyamide 6 (PA 6 and polyamide 6/6 (PA 6/6 nanofibers were produced in order to investigate their experimental characteristics with the goal of obtaining filtration relevant fiber media. The experimental design model of each PA nanofibers contained the following variables: polymer concentration, ratio of solvents, nanofiber media collection time, tip-to-collector distance, and the deposition voltage. The average diameter of the fibers, their morphology, basis weight, thickness, and resulting media solidity were investigated. Effects of each variable on the essential characteristics of PA 6/6 and PA 6 nanofiber media were studied. The comparative analysis of the obtained PA 6/6 and PA 6 nanofiber characteristics revealed that PA 6/6 had higher potential to be used in filtration applications. Based on the experimental results, the graphical representation—response surfaces—for obtaining nanofiber media with the desirable fiber diameter and basis weight characteristics were derived. Based on the modelling results the nanofiber filter media (mats were fabricated. Filtration results revealed that nanofiber filter media electrospun from PA6/6 8% (w/vol solutions with the smallest fiber diameters (62–66 nm had the highest filtration efficiency (PA6/6_30 = 84.9–90.9% and the highest quality factor (PA6/6_10 = 0.0486–0.0749 Pa−1.

Antibacterial poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films grafting electrospun PLA/Ally isothioscyanate (AITC) fibers for food packaging

Science.gov (United States)

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibers of submicron sizes encapsulating allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (PfA) were made and electrospun onto the surfaces of PLA films (PfA-g-film). SEM examination confirmed that the fibers were grafted to the PLA film after the (PfA-g-film) underwent air blowing and water washi...

Gold nanoparticles-decorated electrospun poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) nanofibers with tunable size and coverage density for nanomolar detection of single and binary component dyes by surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kurniawan, Alfin; Wang, Meng-Jiy

2017-09-01

The application of the electrospun nanomaterials to surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a rapidly evolving field which holds potential for future developments in the generation of portable plasmonic-based detection platforms. In this study, a simple approach to fabricate electrospun poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) mats decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by combining electrospinning and calcination was presented. AuNPs were decorated on the fiber mat surface through electrostatic interactions between positively charged aminosilane groups and negatively charged AuNPs. The size and coverage density of AuNPs on the fiber mats could be tuned by varying the calcination temperature. Calcination of AuNPs-decorated PVP fibers at 500 °C-700 °C resulted in the uniform decoration of high density AuNPs with very narrow gaps on every single fiber, which in turn contribute to strong electromagnetic SERS enhancement. The robust free-standing AuNPs-decorated mat which calcined at 500 °C (500/AuNPs-F) exhibited high SERS activity toward cationic (methylene blue, MB) and anionic (methyl orange, MO) dyes in single and binary systems with a detection range from tens of nM to a few hundred μM. The fabricated SERS substrate demonstrated high reproducibility with the spot-to-spot variation in SERS signal intensities was ±10% and ±12% for single and binary dye systems, respectively. The determination of MB and MO in spiked river water and tap water with 500/AuNPs-F substrate gave satisfactory results in terms of the percent spike recoveries (ranging from 92.6%-96.6%) and reproducibility (%RSD values less than 15 for all samples).

Biomimetic electrospun nanofibers for tissue regeneration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Susan; Li Bojun; Ma Zuwei; Wei He; Chan Casey; Ramakrishna, Seeram

2006-01-01

Nanofibers exist widely in human tissue with different patterns. Electrospinning nanotechnology has recently gained a new impetus due to the introduction of the concept of biomimetic nanofibers for tissue regeneration. The advanced electrospinning technique is a promising method to fabricate a controllable continuous nanofiber scaffold similar to the natural extracellular matrix. Thus, the biomedical field has become a significant possible application field of electrospun fibers. Although electrospinning has developed rapidly over the past few years, electrospun nanofibers are still at a premature research stage. Further comprehensive and deep studies on electrospun nanofibers are essential for promoting their biomedical applications. Current electrospun fiber materials include natural polymers, synthetic polymers and inorganic substances. This review briefly describes several typically electrospun nanofiber materials or composites that have great potential for tissue regeneration, and describes their fabrication, advantages, drawbacks and future prospects. (topical review)

Surface modification and micromechanical properties of jute fiber mat reinforced polypropylene composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-05-01

Full Text Available A new treating method using sodium hydroxide (NaOH and Maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MPP emulsion was introduced to treat jute fiber mat in order to enhance the performance of jute/polypropylene (PP composite prepared by film stacking method. The surface modifications of jute fiber mat have been found to be very effective in improving the fiber-matrix adhesion. It was shown that treatments changed not only the surface topography but also the distribution of diameter and strength for the jute fibers, which was analyzed by using a two-parameter Weibull distribution model. Consequently, the interfacial shear strength, flexural and tensile strength of the composites all increased, but the impact strength decreased slightly. These results have demonstrated a new approach to use natural materials to enhance the mechanical performances of composites.

In situ growth of hydroxyapatite within electrospun poly(DL-lactide) fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Wenguo; Li, Xiaohong; Zhou, Shaobing; Weng, Jie

2007-09-15

Development of nanocomposites of hydroxyapatite (HA) and polylactic acid (PLA) is attractive, as the advantageous properties of the two types of materials can be combined to suit better the mechanical and biological demands for biomedical uses. To solve the problematic issue of agglomeration of HA crystallites in the PLA matrix, a novel method is introduced in the present study to use electrospun nanofibers as the reaction confinement for composite fabrication. Poly(DL-lactide) ultrafine fibers with calcium nitrate entrapment were prepared by electrospinning and then incubated in phosphate solution to form in situ calcium phosphate on the polymer matrix. The formation of nonstoichiometric nanostructured HA and well dispersion of HA particles on the electrospun fibers were observed. Higher crystalline HA phase was indicated in samples after sintering at 1200 degrees C. The formation of the calcium-phosphate phase was dependent upon the precipitation conditions, and the effects of the incubation time, temperature, and the pH values of the incubation medium were investigated on the spontaneous precipitation and amorphous-crystalline transformation of HA in the current study. Considering the biodegradability of matrix polymer and the crystallinity and uniform dispersal of HA, optimal conditions for composite preparation were incubating calcium-containing ultrafine fibers at 37 degrees C in pH 7.4 or at 25 degrees C in pH 9.0 of diammonium hydrogen phosphate solutions for 7 days. Around 25%-34% of mineral contents can be synthesized in the resulting composites, which was higher than the theoretical value due to the nonstoichiometric HA formed in the composite, and the fiber degradation and partial calcium nitrate involved in the HA formation. Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electrospun phase change fibers based on polyethylene glycol/cellulose acetate blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Changzhong; Wang, Linge; Huang, Yong

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Ultrafine PEG/CA phase change fibers were fabricated by electrospinning. → PEG content dramatically influenced the fiber morphology and phase change behaviors. → The electrospun fibers have excellent thermal properties for thermal energy storage. - Abstract: Ultrafine phase change fibers based on polyethylene glycol (PEG)/cellulose acetate (CA) blends in which PEG acts as a model phase change material (PCM) and CA acts as a supporting material, were successfully prepared via electrospinning. The effect of PEG content on the morphology, crystalline properties, phase change behaviors and tensile properties of the composite fibers was studied systematically by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and a tensile tester, respectively. The SEM observation indicates that maximum PEG content in the fibers could reach up to 70 wt%, and the morphology and average diameter of the composite fibers vary with PEG content. Thermal analysis results show that the latent heats of the phase change fibers increase with the increasing of PEG content in the fibers, and the PEG/CA fibers with high enthalpies have a good capability to regulate their interior temperature as the ambient temperature alters. Therefore, the developed phase change fibers have enormous applicable potentials in thermal energy storage and temperature regulation.

Electrospun Porous PDLLA Fiber Membrane Coated with nHA

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Linhui Qiang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Porous poly- D, L-lactic acid (PDLLA electrospinning fiber membrane was prepared, and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA was adsorbed and wrapped into it during the unique shrinking process of the PDLLA fiber membrane to fabricate the PDLLA/nHA composite membrane scaffold for tissue engineering. Compare with the composite fibers prepared by blend electrospinning, most of nHA particles are observed to distribute on the surface of new type composite fibers, which could significantly improve the water wettability and induce the cellular adherence. FTIR analysis indicated that the PDLLA/nHA composite fibrous membrane was formed by physical adsorption. The combination was probed by scanning electron microscope, thermo-gravimetric, water contact angle and mechanical property analysis. It was proved that the nHA particles’ content and distribution, surface wettability, modulus and tensile strength of PDLLA/nHA composite fibrous membrane were influenced by the concentration of nHA dispersion and pores on the PDLLA fiber surface. The 10.6 wt % PDLLA/nHA composite fibrous membrane exhibits a more balanced tensile strength (3.28 MPa and surface wettability (with a water contact angle of 0° of the composite mats. Scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscopy images of chondrocyte proliferation further showed that the composite scaffold is non-toxic. The adherence and proliferation of chondrocytes on the 10.6 wt % PDLLA/nHA fibrous membrane was significantly improved, compared with PDLLA mat. The 10.6 wt % PDLLA/nHA composite fibrous membrane has potential application value as scaffold material in tissue engineering.

Aligned and Electrospun Piezoelectric Polymer Fiber Assembly and Scaffold

Science.gov (United States)

Scott-Carnell, Lisa A. (Inventor); Siochi, Emilie J. (Inventor); Holloway, Nancy M. (Inventor); Leong, Kam W. (Inventor); Kulangara, Karina (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A scaffold assembly and related methods of manufacturing and/or using the scaffold for stem cell culture and tissue engineering applications are disclosed which at least partially mimic a native biological environment by providing biochemical, topographical, mechanical and electrical cues by using an electroactive material. The assembly includes at least one layer of substantially aligned, electrospun polymer fiber having an operative connection for individual voltage application. A method of cell tissue engineering and/or stem cell differentiation uses the assembly seeded with a sample of cells suspended in cell culture media, incubates and applies voltage to one or more layers, and thus produces cells and/or a tissue construct. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing the assembly including the steps of providing a first pre-electroded substrate surface; electrospinning a first substantially aligned polymer fiber layer onto the first surface; providing a second pre-electroded substrate surface; electrospinning a second substantially aligned polymer fiber layer onto the second surface; and, retaining together the layered surfaces with a clamp and/or an adhesive compound.

Electrospun Nafion®/Polyphenylsulfone Composite Membranes for Regenerative Hydrogen Bromine Fuel Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jun Woo; Wycisk, Ryszard; Pintauro, Peter N; Yarlagadda, Venkata; Van Nguyen, Trung

2016-02-29

The regenerative H₂/Br₂-HBr fuel cell, utilizing an oxidant solution of Br₂ in aqueous HBr, shows a number of benefits for grid-scale electricity storage. The membrane-electrode assembly, a key component of a fuel cell, contains a proton-conducting membrane, typically based on the perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer. Unfortunately, the high cost of PFSA membranes and their relatively high bromine crossover are serious drawbacks. Nanofiber composite membranes can overcome these limitations. In this work, composite membranes were prepared from electrospun dual-fiber mats containing Nafion ® PFSA ionomer for facile proton transport and an uncharged polymer, polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), for mechanical reinforcement, and swelling control. After electrospinning, Nafion/PPSU mats were converted into composite membranes by softening the PPSU fibers, through exposure to chloroform vapor, thus filling the voids between ionomer nanofibers. It was demonstrated that the relative membrane selectivity, referenced to Nafion ® 115, increased with increasing PPSU content, e.g., a selectivity of 11 at 25 vol% of Nafion fibers. H₂-Br₂ fuel cell power output with a 65 μm thick membrane containing 55 vol% Nafion fibers was somewhat better than that of a 150 μm Nafion ® 115 reference, but its cost advantage due to a four-fold decrease in PFSA content and a lower bromine species crossover make it an attractive candidate for use in H₂/Br₂-HBr systems.

Electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibrous membranes with varied fiber diameters and different membrane porosities as lithium-ion battery separators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Xiaojing; Kolla, Praveen; Yang, Ruidong; Wang, Zhao; Zhao, Yong; Smirnova, Alevtina L.; Fong, Hao

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Nine types of electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibrous membranes were prepared. • These membranes had varied fiber diameters and different membrane porosities. • The membranes were explored as innovative Li-ion battery (LIB) separators. • The hot-pressed membrane with thin fibers had superior performance as LIB separator. - Abstract: In this study, nine types of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membranes with varied fiber diameters and different membrane porosities are prepared by electrospinning followed by hot-pressing. Subsequently, these membranes are explored as Li-ion battery (LIB) separators. The impacts of fiber diameter and membrane porosity on electrolyte uptake, Li"+ ion transport through the membrane, electrochemical oxidation potential, and membrane performance as LIB separator (during charge/discharge cycling and rate capability tests of a cathodic half-cell) have been investigated. When compared to commercial Celgard PP separator, hot-pressed electrospun PAN nanofibrous membranes exhibit larger electrolyte uptake, higher thermal stability, wider electrochemical potential window, higher Li"+ ion permeability, and better electrochemical performance in LiMn_2O_4/separator/Li half-cell. The results also indicate that the PAN-based membrane/separator with small fiber diameters of 200–300 nm and hot-pressed under high pressure of 20 MPa surpasses all other membranes/separators and demonstrates the best performance, leading to the highest discharge capacity (89.5 mA h g"−"1 at C/2 rate) and cycle life (with capacity retention ratio being 97.7%) of the half-cell. In summary, this study has revealed that the hot-pressed electrospun PAN nanofibrous membranes (particularly those consisting of thin nanofibers) are promising as high-performance LIB separators.

Effect of cross-linking on properties and release characteristics of sodium salicylate-loaded electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) fibre mats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taepaiboon, Pattama; Rungsardthong, Uracha; Supaphol, Pitt

2007-01-01

Cross-linking of electrospun (e-spun) fibre mats (beaded fibre morphology with the average diameter of the fibre segments between beads being ∼108 nm) of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) containing sodium salicylate (SS), used as the model drug, was achieved by exposing the fibre mats to the vapour from 5.6 M aqueous solution of either glutaraldehyde or glyoxal for various exposure time intervals, followed by a heat treatment in a vacuum oven. With increasing the exposure time in the cross-linking chamber, the morphology of the e-spun fibre mats gradually changed from a porous to dense structure. Both the degree of swelling and the percentage of weight loss of the cross-linked fibre mats (i.e. ∼200-530% and ∼15-57%, respectively) were lower than those of the untreated ones (i.e. ∼610% and ∼67%, respectively). Cross-linking was also responsible for the monotonic increase in the storage moduli of the cross-linked SS-loaded e-spun PVA fibre mats with increasing exposure time in the cross-linking chamber. The release characteristic of the model drug from the SS-loaded e-spun PVA fibre mats both before and after cross-linking was assessed by the transdermal diffusion through a pig skin method. The cumulative release of the drug from these matrices could be divided into two stages: 0-4 and 4-72 h, in which the amount of SS released in the first stage increased very rapidly, while it was much slower in the second stage. Cross-linking slowed down the release of SS from the drug-loaded fibre mats appreciably and both the rate of release and the total amount of the drug released were decreasing functions of the exposure time interval in the cross-linking chamber. Lastly, the cross-linked SS-loaded e-spun PVA fibre mats were non-toxic to normal human dermal fibroblasts

Preparation of MnO nanofibers by novel hydrothermal treatment of manganese acetate/PVA electrospun nanofiber mats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barakat, Nasser A.M.; Park, Soo Jin; Khil, Myung Seob; Kim, Hak Yong

2009-01-01

In the present study, manganese monoxide (MnO) which is hard to prepare because of the chemical activity of the manganese metal has been synthesized in nanofibrous form. An electrospun manganese acetate/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofiber mats have been hydrothermally treated by novel strategy. The treatment process was based on producing of water gas (Co and H 2 ) to eliminate the polymer and reduced the manganese acetate to manganese monoxide. The process was carried out by heating the dried nanofiber mates at 400 deg. C for 3 h in an especial designed reactor in which a stream of water vapor was passing through a bed of an activated carbon. The obtained physiochemical characterization results indicated that the proposed hydrothermal treatment process does have the ability to produce pure MnO nanofibers with good crystallinity.

Preparation of MnO nanofibers by novel hydrothermal treatment of manganese acetate/PVA electrospun nanofiber mats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barakat, Nasser A.M. [Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, El-Minia University, El-Minia (Egypt); Center for Healthcare Technology Development, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: nasbarakat@yahoo.com; Park, Soo Jin [Center for Healthcare Technology Development, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Khil, Myung Seob [Department of Textile Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hak Yong [Center for Healthcare Technology Development, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Textile Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: khy@chonbuk.ac.kr

2009-06-15

In the present study, manganese monoxide (MnO) which is hard to prepare because of the chemical activity of the manganese metal has been synthesized in nanofibrous form. An electrospun manganese acetate/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofiber mats have been hydrothermally treated by novel strategy. The treatment process was based on producing of water gas (Co and H{sub 2}) to eliminate the polymer and reduced the manganese acetate to manganese monoxide. The process was carried out by heating the dried nanofiber mates at 400 deg. C for 3 h in an especial designed reactor in which a stream of water vapor was passing through a bed of an activated carbon. The obtained physiochemical characterization results indicated that the proposed hydrothermal treatment process does have the ability to produce pure MnO nanofibers with good crystallinity.

Bladder tissue engineering using biocompatible nanofibrous electrospun constructs: feasibility and safety investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakhssalim, Nasser; Dehghan, Mohammad Mehdi; Moghadasali, Reza; Soltani, Mohammad Hossein; Shabani, Iman; Soleimani, Masoud

2012-01-01

To investigate the feasibility and safety of using biocompatible, nanofibrous electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) and combination of polylactic acid (PLLA) and PCL mats in a canine model. Plasma-treated electrospun unseeded mats were implanted in three dogs. The first dog was sacrificed after 3 months and the second and third ones after 4 months, and then, the graft was examined macroscopically with subsequent morphological and histochemical evaluation. Both films showed high levels of cell infiltration and tissue formation, but body response to PLLA/PCL mat in comparison to PCL mat was very low. All three implantation models showed the same light microscopic morphology, immunohistochemistry, and scanning electron microscopy results; nevertheless, only the PCL/PLLA model showed favorable clinical results. Based on these data, nanofibrous PLLA/PCL scaffolding could be a suitable material for the bladder tissue engineering; however, it deserves further investigations.

Effects of pre- and post-electrospinning plasma treatments on electrospun PCL nanofibers to improve cell interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asadian, M; Grande, S; Morent, R; Nikiforov, A; De Geyter, N; Declercq, H

2017-01-01

In this study, liquid plasma treatment was used to improve the morphology of Poly-ε-CaproLactone (PCL) NanoFibers (NFs), followed by performing a Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma surface modification to enhance the hydrophilicity of electrospun mats generated from plasma-modified PCL solutions. Cell interaction studies performed after 1 day and 7 days clearly revealed the highly increased cellular interactions on the double plasma-treated nanofibers compared to the pristine ones due to the combination of (1) a better NF morphology and (2) an increased surface hydrophilicity. (paper)

Waveguiding properties of individual electrospun polymer nanofibers

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Yuya; Kaminose, Ryohei; Fukuda, Mitsuo

2013-09-01

Optical circuits are needed to achieve high-speed, high-capacity information processing. An optical waveguide is an essential element in optical circuits. Electrospun polymer fibers have diameters in the nanometer range and high aspect ratios, so they are prime candidates for small waveguides. In this work, we fabricate uniform electrospun polymer nanofibers and characterize their optical waveguiding properties. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) solutions of different concentration that contain a small amount of Nile Blue A perchlorate (NBA) are electrospun. Uniform PMMA/NBA nanofibers are obtained from the 10 wt% solution. The fibers are covered with transparent cladding and their ends cut vertically. A laser beam with a wavelength of 533 nm is irradiated onto the fiber from the direction vertical to the fiber axis so that it scans along the fiber. Photoluminescence (PL) at the end face of individual fibers is then measured. The PL intensity decreases with increasing distance (d) between the end face of a fiber and irradiating point of the laser beam as ~exp(-αd) with a loss coefficient (α). Measurements of five individual fibers reveal α is in the range of 17-75 cm-1.

Electrospun microcrimped fibers with nonlinear mechanical properties enhance ligament fibroblast phenotype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grace Chao, Pen-hsiu; Hsu, Hsiang-Yi; Tseng, Hsiao-Yun

2014-01-01

Fiber structure and order greatly impact the mechanical behavior of fibrous materials. In biological tissues, the nonlinear mechanics of fibrous scaffolds contribute to the functionality of the material. The nonlinear mechanical properties of the wavy structure (crimp) in collagen allow tissue flexibility while preventing over-extension. A number of approaches have tried to recreate this complex mechanical functionality. We generated microcrimped fibers by briefly heating electrospun parallel fibers over the glass transition temperature or by ethanol treatment. The crimp structure is similar to those of collagen fibers found in native aorta, intestines, or ligaments. Using poly-L-lactic acid fibers, we demonstrated that the bulk materials exhibit changed stress–strain behaviors with a significant increase in the toe region in correlation to the degree of crimp, similar to those observed in collagenous tissues. In addition to mimicking the stress–strain behavior of biological tissues, the microcrimped fibers are instructive in cell morphology and promote ligament phenotypic gene expression. This effect can be further enhanced by dynamic tensile loading, a physiological perturbation in vivo. This rapid and economical approach for microcrimped fiber production provides an accessible platform to study structure–function relationships and a novel functional scaffold for tissue engineering and cell mechanobiology studies. (papers)

Electrospun microcrimped fibers with nonlinear mechanical properties enhance ligament fibroblast phenotype.

Science.gov (United States)

Grace Chao, Pen-hsiu; Hsu, Hsiang-Yi; Tseng, Hsiao-Yun

2014-09-01

Fiber structure and order greatly impact the mechanical behavior of fibrous materials. In biological tissues, the nonlinear mechanics of fibrous scaffolds contribute to the functionality of the material. The nonlinear mechanical properties of the wavy structure (crimp) in collagen allow tissue flexibility while preventing over-extension. A number of approaches have tried to recreate this complex mechanical functionality. We generated microcrimped fibers by briefly heating electrospun parallel fibers over the glass transition temperature or by ethanol treatment. The crimp structure is similar to those of collagen fibers found in native aorta, intestines, or ligaments. Using poly-L-lactic acid fibers, we demonstrated that the bulk materials exhibit changed stress-strain behaviors with a significant increase in the toe region in correlation to the degree of crimp, similar to those observed in collagenous tissues. In addition to mimicking the stress-strain behavior of biological tissues, the microcrimped fibers are instructive in cell morphology and promote ligament phenotypic gene expression. This effect can be further enhanced by dynamic tensile loading, a physiological perturbation in vivo. This rapid and economical approach for microcrimped fiber production provides an accessible platform to study structure-function relationships and a novel functional scaffold for tissue engineering and cell mechanobiology studies.

Influence of fiber type, fiber mat orientation, and process time on the properties of a wood fiber/polymer composite

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Plackett, David; Torgilsson, R.; Løgstrup Andersen, T.

2002-01-01

involved pre-compression, contact heating to the process temperature under vacuum and then rapid transfer to the press for consolidation and cooling. Composites were tested to determine response to water or water vapor, porosity, fiber volume fraction and tensile properties. The composites absorbed water......A rapid press consolidation technique was used to produce composites from two types of air-laid wood fiber mat, incorporating either mechanically refined or bleached chemi-thermomechanically refined Norway Spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst] and a bicomponent polymer fiber. The manufacturing technique...... rapidly and showed changes in thickness with fluctuations in relative humidity. Porosity was higher in composites containing mechanically refined (MDF) fibers than in composites containing bleached chemi-thermomechanically refined (CTMP) fibers. Tensile test results suggessted that fiber wetting...

Piezoelectric Microstructured Fibers via Drawing of Multimaterial Preforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xin; Qu, Hang; Skorobogatiy, Maksim

2017-06-06

We demonstrate planar laminated piezoelectric generators and piezoelectric microstructured fibers based on BaTiO 3 -polyvinylidene and carbon-loaded-polyethylene materials combinations. The laminated piezoelectric generators were assembled by sandwiching the electrospun BaTiO 3 -polyvinylidene mat between two carbon-loaded-polyethylene films. The piezoelectric microstructured fiber was fabricated via drawing of the multilayer fiber preform, and features a swissroll geometry that have ~10 alternating piezoelectric and conductive layers. Both piezoelectric generators have excellent mechanical durability, and could retain their piezoelectric performance after 3 day's cyclic bend-release tests. Compared to the laminated generators, the piezoelectric fibers are advantageous as they could be directly woven into large-area commercial fabrics. Potential applications of the proposed piezoelectric fibers include micro-power-generation and remote sensing in wearable, automotive and aerospace industries.

Photocatalytic antibacterial effect of ZnO nanoparticles into coaxial electrospun PCL fibers to prevent infections from skin injuries

Science.gov (United States)

Prado-Prone, G.; Silva-Bermúdez, P.; García-Macedo, J. A.; Almaguer-Flores, A.; Ibarra, C.; Velasquillo-Martínez, C.

2017-02-01

Antibacterial studies of inorganic nanoparticles (nps) have become important due to the increased bacterial resistance against antibiotics. We used Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO nps), which possess excellent photocatalytic properties with a wide band gap (Eg), are listed as "generally recognized as safe" by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have shown antibacterial activity (AA) against many bacterial strains. The AA of ZnO nps is partly attributed to the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by photocatalysis. When ZnO nps in aqueous media are illuminated with an energy water and Oxygen molecules to generate hydroxyl-radical (OH• ), superoxide-radical (O2 •- ) and hydrogen-peroxide (H2O2). These ROS induce cell membrane damage resulting in cell death. However, the application of inorganic nps in medical treatments is limited due to the possible long-term side effects of nps release. To prevent its release, ZnO nps were dispersed into Polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers obtained by electrospinning technique. To optimize the use of ZnO nps concentration, we developed coreshell coaxial electrospun fibers where the core corresponded to PCL and the shell to a mixture of ZnO nps/PCL. Thus, ZnO nps were only dispersed on the surface of the fibers increasing its superficial contact area. We evaluated the AA against E. coli of different electrospun ZnO nps/PCL fibers under two different conditions: UVA pre-illumination and darkness. Preliminary results suggest that the AA against E. coli is better when electrospun ZnO nps/PCL were preilluminated with UVA than under darkness conditions.

Electrospun curcumin-loaded cellulose acetate/polyvinylpyrrolidone fibrous materials with complex architecture and antibacterial activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsekova, Petya B.; Spasova, Mariya G.; Manolova, Nevena E.; Markova, Nadya D.; Rashkov, Iliya B.

2017-01-01

Novel fibrous materials from cellulose acetate (CA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) containing curcumin (Curc) with original design were prepared by one-pot electrospinning or dual spinneret electrospinning. The electrospun materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), water contact angle measurements, and microbiological tests. It was found that the incorporation of Curc into the CA and PVP solutions resulted in an increase of the solution viscosity and obtaining fibers with larger diameters (ca. 1.5 μm) compared to the neat CA (ca. 800 nm) and PVP fibers (ca. 500 nm). The incorporation of PVP resulted in increased hydrophilicity of the fibers and in faster Curc release. Curc was found in the amorphous state in the Curc-containing fibers and these mats exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The results suggest that, due to their complex architecture, the obtained new antibacterial materials are suitable for wound dressing applications, which necessitate diverse release behaviors of the bioactive compound. - Highlights: • Novel curcumin-loaded materials based on cellulose acetate and polyvinylpyrrolidone were prepared by electrospinning. • Using one-pot or dual spinneret electrospinning enabled modulating drug release. • The incorporation of polyvinylpyrrolidone resulted in faster curcumin release. • The curcumin-containing mats exhibited antibacterial activity thus rendering them suitable for wound dressing applications.

Electrospun curcumin-loaded cellulose acetate/polyvinylpyrrolidone fibrous materials with complex architecture and antibacterial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsekova, Petya B.; Spasova, Mariya G.; Manolova, Nevena E. [Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, bl. 103A, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Markova, Nadya D. [Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, bl. 26, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Rashkov, Iliya B., E-mail: rashkov@polymer.bas.bg [Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, bl. 103A, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2017-04-01

Novel fibrous materials from cellulose acetate (CA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) containing curcumin (Curc) with original design were prepared by one-pot electrospinning or dual spinneret electrospinning. The electrospun materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), water contact angle measurements, and microbiological tests. It was found that the incorporation of Curc into the CA and PVP solutions resulted in an increase of the solution viscosity and obtaining fibers with larger diameters (ca. 1.5 μm) compared to the neat CA (ca. 800 nm) and PVP fibers (ca. 500 nm). The incorporation of PVP resulted in increased hydrophilicity of the fibers and in faster Curc release. Curc was found in the amorphous state in the Curc-containing fibers and these mats exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The results suggest that, due to their complex architecture, the obtained new antibacterial materials are suitable for wound dressing applications, which necessitate diverse release behaviors of the bioactive compound. - Highlights: • Novel curcumin-loaded materials based on cellulose acetate and polyvinylpyrrolidone were prepared by electrospinning. • Using one-pot or dual spinneret electrospinning enabled modulating drug release. • The incorporation of polyvinylpyrrolidone resulted in faster curcumin release. • The curcumin-containing mats exhibited antibacterial activity thus rendering them suitable for wound dressing applications.

Improving cytoactive of endothelial cell by introducing fibronectin to the surface of poly L-Lactic acid fiber mats via dopamine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Wufeng; Zhang, Xiazhi; Wu, Keke; Liu, Xiaoyan; Jiao, Yanpeng, E-mail: tjiaoyp@jnu.edu.cn; Zhou, Changren

2016-12-01

A simple but straightforward approach was reported to prepare fiber mats modified with fibronectin (Fn) protein for endothelial cells activity study. Based on the self-polymerization and strong adhesion feature of dopamine, poly L-Lactic acid (PLLA) fibers mat was modified via simply immersing them into dopamine solution for 16 h. Subsequently, Fn was immobilized onto the fiber mats surface by the coupling reactive polydopamine (PDA) layer and Fn. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to determine the chemical compositions of fiber mats surface, which confirmed the successful immobilization of PDA and Fn molecules on the fiber surface. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology changes after modification with PDA and Fn. The data of water contact angle showed that the hydrophilicity of the fiber mats was improved after surface modification. The data of in vitro cell culture proved that the PDA and Fn modified surface significantly enhanced the adhesion, proliferation and cell activity of endothelial cells on the fiber mats. And the release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by endothelial cells on the modified surface was suppressed compared to that on culture plate and PLLA film at 2 and 4 days, while the secretion of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was increased compared to that on culture plate and PLLA film at 2 days. - Highlights: • Fibronectin (Fn) was grafted on PLLA fiber surface mediated by polydopamine coating. • Fn modified PLLA fiber enhanced the adhesion, proliferation of endothelial cells. • Fn and polydopamine modified PLLA fiber could adjust the release of inflammatory factor.

Electrospun Nafion®/Polyphenylsulfone Composite Membranes for Regenerative Hydrogen Bromine Fuel Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jun Woo; Wycisk, Ryszard; Pintauro, Peter N.; Yarlagadda, Venkata; Van Nguyen, Trung

2016-01-01

The regenerative H2/Br2-HBr fuel cell, utilizing an oxidant solution of Br2 in aqueous HBr, shows a number of benefits for grid-scale electricity storage. The membrane-electrode assembly, a key component of a fuel cell, contains a proton-conducting membrane, typically based on the perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer. Unfortunately, the high cost of PFSA membranes and their relatively high bromine crossover are serious drawbacks. Nanofiber composite membranes can overcome these limitations. In this work, composite membranes were prepared from electrospun dual-fiber mats containing Nafion® PFSA ionomer for facile proton transport and an uncharged polymer, polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), for mechanical reinforcement, and swelling control. After electrospinning, Nafion/PPSU mats were converted into composite membranes by softening the PPSU fibers, through exposure to chloroform vapor, thus filling the voids between ionomer nanofibers. It was demonstrated that the relative membrane selectivity, referenced to Nafion® 115, increased with increasing PPSU content, e.g., a selectivity of 11 at 25 vol% of Nafion fibers. H2-Br2 fuel cell power output with a 65 μm thick membrane containing 55 vol% Nafion fibers was somewhat better than that of a 150 μm Nafion® 115 reference, but its cost advantage due to a four-fold decrease in PFSA content and a lower bromine species crossover make it an attractive candidate for use in H2/Br2-HBr systems. PMID:28773268

Electrospun Nafion®/Polyphenylsulfone Composite Membranes for Regenerative Hydrogen Bromine Fuel Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Woo Park

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The regenerative H2/Br2-HBr fuel cell, utilizing an oxidant solution of Br2 in aqueous HBr, shows a number of benefits for grid-scale electricity storage. The membrane-electrode assembly, a key component of a fuel cell, contains a proton-conducting membrane, typically based on the perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA ionomer. Unfortunately, the high cost of PFSA membranes and their relatively high bromine crossover are serious drawbacks. Nanofiber composite membranes can overcome these limitations. In this work, composite membranes were prepared from electrospun dual-fiber mats containing Nafion® PFSA ionomer for facile proton transport and an uncharged polymer, polyphenylsulfone (PPSU, for mechanical reinforcement, and swelling control. After electrospinning, Nafion/PPSU mats were converted into composite membranes by softening the PPSU fibers, through exposure to chloroform vapor, thus filling the voids between ionomer nanofibers. It was demonstrated that the relative membrane selectivity, referenced to Nafion® 115, increased with increasing PPSU content, e.g., a selectivity of 11 at 25 vol% of Nafion fibers. H2-Br2 fuel cell power output with a 65 μm thick membrane containing 55 vol% Nafion fibers was somewhat better than that of a 150 μm Nafion® 115 reference, but its cost advantage due to a four-fold decrease in PFSA content and a lower bromine species crossover make it an attractive candidate for use in H2/Br2-HBr systems.

Incorporation of Rutin in Electrospun Pullulan/PVA Nanofibers for Novel UV-Resistant Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Yongfang; Qi, Mengjie; Zheng, Laijiu; King, Martin W; Lv, Lihua; Ye, Fang

2016-06-23

This study aimed to investigate the incorporation of rutin into electrospun pullulan and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers to obtain ultraviolet (UV)-resistant properties. The effect of weight ratios between pullulan and PVA, and the addition of rutin on the nanofibers' morphology and diameters were studied and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was utilized to investigate the interaction between pullulan and PVA, as well as with rutin. The results showed that the inclusion of PVA results in the increase in the fiber's diameter. The addition of rutin had no obvious effect on the fibers' average diameters when the content of rutin was less than 7.41%. FTIR results indicated that a hydrogen bond formed between pullulan and PVA, also between these polymers and rutin. Moreover, the addition of rutin could enhance the mechanical properties due to its stiff structure and could decrease the transmittance of UVA and UVB to be fewer than 5%; meanwhile, the value of ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) reached more than 40 and 50 when the content of rutin was 4.46% and 5.67%, respectively. Therefore, the electrospun pullulan/PVA/rutin nanofibrous mats showed excellent UV resistance and have potential applications in anti-ultraviolet packaging and dressing materials.

Preparation of Electrospun Polymer Fibers Using a Copper Wire Electrode in a Capillary Tube

Science.gov (United States)

Shinbo, Kazunari; Onozuka, Shintaro; Hoshino, Rikiya; Mizuno, Yoshinori; Ohdaira, Yasuo; Baba, Akira; Kato, Keizo; Kaneko, Futao

2010-04-01

Polymer fibers were prepared by an electrospinning method utilizing a copper wire electrode in a capillary tube. The morphology of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) fibers was observed, and was found to be dependent on the wire electrode tip position in the capillary tube, the concentration of the polymer solution, the distance between the electrodes, and the applied voltage. By using the wire electrode, the experimental setup is simple and the distance between the electrodes and the applied voltage can be easily reduced. Furthermore, the preparation of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) fibers was carried out. P3HT fibers were successfully prepared by mixing poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in P3HT solution. Orientation control was also carried out by depositing the fibers on a rotating collector electrode, and the alignment of the P3HT:PEO fibers was confirmed. Anisotropy of the optical absorption spectra was also observed for the aligned fibers.

Micropatterned coculture of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells on layered electrospun fibrous mats toward blood vessel engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Huinan; Liu, Yaowen; Lu, Jinfu; Wei, Jiaojun; Li, Xiaohong

2015-06-01

A major challenge in vascular engineering is the establishment of proper microenvironment to guide the spatial organization, growth, and extracellular matrix (ECM) productions of cells found in blood vessels. In the current study, micropatterned fibrous mats with distinct ridges and grooves of different width were created to load smooth muscle cells (SMCs), which were assembled by stacking on vascular endothelial cell (EC)-loaded flat fibrous mats to mimic the in vivo-like organized structure of blood vessels. SMCs were mainly distributed in the ridges, and aligned fibers in the patterned regions led to the formation of elongated cell bodies, intense actin filaments, and expressions of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin in a parallel direction with fibers. ECs spread over the flat fibrous mats and expressed collagen IV and laminin with a cobblestone-like feature. A z-stack scanning of fluorescently stained fibrous mats indicated that SMCs effectively infiltrated into fibrous scaffolds at the depth of around 200 μm. Compared with SMCs cultured alone, the coculture with ECs enhanced the proliferation, infiltration, and cytoskeleton elongation of SMCs on patterned fibrous mats. Although the coculture of SMCs made no significant difference in the EC growth, the coculture system on patterned fibrous scaffolds promoted ECM productions of both ECs and SMCs. Thus, this patterned fibrous configuration not only offers a promising technology in the design of tissue engineering scaffolds to construct blood vessels with durable mechanical properties, but also provides a platform for patterned coculture to investigate cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions in highly organized tissues. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electrospun nanofiber reinforcement of dental composites with electromagnetic alignment approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uyar, Tansel; Çökeliler, Dilek; Doğan, Mustafa; Koçum, Ismail Cengiz; Karatay, Okan; Denkbaş, Emir Baki

2016-01-01

that they both have a non-toxic feature. - Highlights: • Composites were produced from electrospun non-woven and aligned nanofiber mats. • Alignment or patterning enhanced the mechanical properties of composites. • Direction of fibers is dictated by electrostatic force by using parallel plates. • It has an advantage that the fiber alignment with electrostatic force is multidimensional.

Electrospun nanofiber reinforcement of dental composites with electromagnetic alignment approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uyar, Tansel [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Başkent University Bağlıca Campus, 06530 Ankara (Turkey); Çökeliler, Dilek, E-mail: cokeliler@baskent.edu.tr [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Başkent University Bağlıca Campus, 06530 Ankara (Turkey); Doğan, Mustafa [Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Başkent University, Ankara 06180 (Turkey); Koçum, Ismail Cengiz [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Başkent University Bağlıca Campus, 06530 Ankara (Turkey); Karatay, Okan [Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Başkent University, Ankara 06180 (Turkey); Denkbaş, Emir Baki [Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry Division, Hacettepe University, Ankara (Turkey)

2016-05-01

found that they both have a non-toxic feature. - Highlights: • Composites were produced from electrospun non-woven and aligned nanofiber mats. • Alignment or patterning enhanced the mechanical properties of composites. • Direction of fibers is dictated by electrostatic force by using parallel plates. • It has an advantage that the fiber alignment with electrostatic force is multidimensional.

Phospholipid electrospun nanofibers: effect of solvents and co-axial processing on morphology and fiber diameter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Lars; Qvortrup, Klaus; Chronakis, Ioannis S.

2015-01-01

Asolectin phospholipid nano-microfibers were prepared using electrospinning processing. The asolectin fibers were studied by scanning electron microscopy, and the fiber morphology was found to be strongly dependent on the phospholipid concentration and the solvents used. The solvents studied were...... chloroform : dimethylformamide (CHCl3 : DMF, 3 : 2 v/v), isooctane, cyclohexane and limonene, producing phospholipid fibers with average diameters in the range of 2.57 +/- 0.59 mu m, similar to 3-8 mu m, similar to 4-5 mu m and 14.3 +/- 2.7 mu m, respectively. The diameter of asolectin electrospun fibers...... solvent and the inner needle contains the asolectin solution in CHCl3: DMF, a substantial reduction in the average fiber diameter was observed. In particular, the average diameter of the fibers when DMF (a solvent with a high dielectric constant) was used as a sheath solvent was reduced by a factor...

All-Organic High-Performance Piezoelectric Nanogenerator with Multilayer Assembled Electrospun Nanofiber Mats for Self-Powered Multifunctional Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Maity, Kuntal; Mandal, Dipankar

2018-05-30

Rapid development of wearable electronics, piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG), has been paid a special attention because of its sustainable and accessible energy generation. In this context, we present a simple yet highly efficient design strategy to enhance the output performance of an all-organic PNG (OPNG) based on multilayer assembled electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofiber (NF) mats where vapor-phase polymerized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-coated PVDF NFs are assembled as electrodes and neat PVDF NFs are utilized as an active component. In addition to the multilayer assembly, electrode compatibility and durability remain a challenging task to mitigate the primary requirements of wearable electronics. A multilayer networked three-dimensional structure integrated with a compatible electrode thereby provides enhanced output voltage and current (e.g., open-circuit voltage, V oc ≈ 48 V, and short-circuit current, I sc ≈ 6 μA, upon 8.3 kPa of the applied stress amplitude) with superior piezoelectric energy conversion efficiency of 66% compared to the single-mat device. Besides, OPNG also shows ultrasensitivity toward human movements such as foot strikes and walking. The weight measurement mapping is critically explored by principal component analysis that may have enormous applications in medical diagnosis to smart packaging industries. More importantly, fatigue test under continuous mechanical impact (over 6 months) shows great promise as a robust wearable mechanical energy harvester.

Crystallinity of Electrospun and Centrifugal Spun Polycaprolactone Fibers: A Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Kuzelova Kostakova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Crystalline properties of semicrystalline polymers are very important parameters that can influence the application area. The internal structure, like the mentioned crystalline properties, of polymers can be influenced by the production technology itself and by changing technology parameters. The present work is devoted to testing of electrospun and centrifugal spun fibrous and nanofibrous materials and compare them to foils and granules made from the same raw polymer. The test setup reveals the structural differences caused by the production technology. Effects of average molecular weight are also exhibited. The applied biodegradable and biocompatible polymer is polycaprolactone (PCL as it is a widespread material for medical purposes. The crystallinity of PCL has significant effect on rate of degradation that is an important parameter for a biodegradable material and determines the applicability. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC showed that, at the degree of crystallinity, there is a minor difference between the electrospun and centrifugal spun fibrous materials. However, the significant influence of polymer molecular weight was exhibited. The morphology of the fibrous materials, represented by fiber diameter, also did not demonstrate any connection to final measured crystallinity degree of the tested materials.

Incorporation of T4 bacteriophage in electrospun fibres.

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Korehei, R; Kadla, J

2013-05-01

Antibacterial food packaging materials, such as bacteriophage-activated electrospun fibrous mats, may address concerns triggered by waves of bacterial food contamination. To address this, we investigated several efficient methods for incorporating T4 bacteriophage into electrospun fibrous mats. The incorporation of T4 bacteriophage using simple suspension electrospinning led to more than five orders of magnitude decrease in bacteriophage activity. To better maintain bacteriophage viability, emulsion electrospinning was developed where the T4 bacteriophage was pre-encapsulated in an alginate reservoir via an emulsification process and subsequently electrospun into fibres. This resulted in an increase in bacteriophage viability, but there was still two orders of magnitude drop in activity. Using a coaxial electrospinning process, full bacteriophage activity could be maintained. In this process, a core/shell fibre structure was formed with the T4 bacteriophage being directly incorporated into the fibre core. The core/shell fibre encapsulated bacteriophage exhibited full bacteriophage viability after storing for several weeks at +4°C. Coaxial electrospinning was shown to be capable of encapsulating bacteriophages with high loading capacity, high viability and long storage time. These results are significant in the context of controlling and preventing bacterial infections in perishable foods during storage. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Polystyrene/TiO2 composite electrospun fibers as fillers for poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate): Structure, morphology and properties

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Neppalli, R

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this work, composite polystyrene/titanium dioxide (PS/TiO(sub2)) electrospun fibers were used as a reinforcement for a poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) matrix. The structure, morphology, mechanical properties and degradation behavior...

Investigation of needleless electrospun PAN nanofiber mats

Science.gov (United States)

Sabantina, Lilia; Mirasol, José Rodríguez; Cordero, Tomás; Finsterbusch, Karin; Ehrmann, Andrea

2018-04-01

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) can be spun from a nontoxic solvent (DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide) and is nevertheless waterproof, opposite to the biopolymers which are spinnable from aqueous solutions. This makes PAN an interesting material for electrospinning nanofiber mats which can be used for diverse biotechnological or medical applications, such as filters, cell growth, wound healing or tissue engineering. On the other hand, PAN is a typical base material for producing carbon nanofibers. Nevertheless, electrospinning PAN necessitates convenient spinning parameters to create nanofibers without too many membranes or agglomerations. Thus we have studied the influence of spinning parameters on the needleless electrospinning process of PAN dissolved in DMSO and the resulting nanofiber mats.

Electrospun Nanofibrous Materials for Neural Tissue Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yee-Shuan Lee

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The use of biomaterials processed by the electrospinning technique has gained considerable interest for neural tissue engineering applications. The tissue engineering strategy is to facilitate the regrowth of nerves by combining an appropriate cell type with the electrospun scaffold. Electrospinning can generate fibrous meshes having fiber diameter dimensions at the nanoscale and these fibers can be nonwoven or oriented to facilitate neurite extension via contact guidance. This article reviews studies evaluating the effect of the scaffold’s architectural features such as fiber diameter and orientation on neural cell function and neurite extension. Electrospun meshes made of natural polymers, proteins and compositions having electrical activity in order to enhance neural cell function are also discussed.

Use of lecithin to control fiber morphology in electrospun poly (ɛ-caprolactone) scaffolds for improved tissue engineering applications.

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Coverdale, Benjamin D M; Gough, Julie E; Sampson, William W; Hoyland, Judith A

2017-10-01

We elucidate the effects of incorporating surfactants into electrospun poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds on network homogeneity, cellular adherence and osteogenic differentiation. Lecithin was added with a range of concentrations to PCL solutions, which were electrospun to yield functionalized scaffolds. Addition of lecithin yielded a dose-dependent reduction in scaffold hydrophobicity, whilst reducing fiber width and hence increasing specific surface area. These changes in scaffold morphology were associated with increased cellular attachment of Saos-2 osteoblasts 3-h postseeding. Furthermore, cells on scaffolds showed comparable proliferation over 14 days of incubation to TCP controls. Through model-based interpretation of image analysis combined with gravimetric estimates of porosity, lecithin is shown to reduce scaffold porosity and mean pore size. Additionally, lecithin incorporation is found to reduce fiber curvature, resulting in increased scaffold specific elastic modulus. Low concentrations of lecithin were found to induce upregulation of several genes associated with osteogenesis in primary mesenchymal stem cells. The results demonstrate that functionalization of electrospun PCL scaffolds with lecithin can increase the biocompatibility and regenerative potential of these networks for bone tissue engineering applications. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2865-2874, 2017. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preparation, morphology and thermal properties of electrospun fatty acid eutectics/polyethylene terephthalate form-stable phase change ultrafine composite fibers for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Yibing; Ke Huizhen; Lin Liang; Fei Xiuzhu; Wei Qufu; Song Lei; Hu Yuan; Fong Hao

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Electrospun binary fatty acid eutectics/PET ultrafine composite fibers were prepared. ► Fatty acid eutectics had appropriate phase transition temperature and heat enthalpy. ► Their morphological structures and thermal properties were different from each other. ► Composite fibers could be innovative form-stable PCMs for thermal energy storage. - Abstract: The ultrafine composite fibers based on the composites of binary fatty acid eutectics and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with varied fatty acid eutectics/PET mass ratios (50/100, 70/100, 100/100 and 120/100) were fabricated using the technique of electrospinning as form-stable phase change materials (PCMs). The five binary fatty acid eutectics including LA–MA, LA–PA, MA–PA, MA–SA and PA–SA were prepared according to Schrader equation, and then were selected as an innovative type of solid–liquid PCMs. The results characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) indicated that the prepared binary fatty acid eutectics with low phase transition temperatures and high heat enthalpies for climatic requirements were more suitable for applications in building energy storage. The structural morphologies, thermal energy storage and thermal stability properties of the ultrafine composite fibers were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), DSC and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. SEM images revealed that the electrospun binary fatty acid eutectics/PET ultrafine composite fibers possessed the wrinkled surfaces morphologies compared with the neat PET fibers with cylindrical shape and smooth surfaces; the grooves or ridges on the corrugated surface of the ultrafine composite fibers became more and more prominent with increasing fatty acid eutectics amount in the composite fibers. The fibers with the low mass ratio maintained good structural morphologies while the quality became worse when the mass ratio is too high (more than 100/100). DSC measurements

Investigation of Electrospun Poly Vinyl Alcohol Fibers Towards the Development of Manufacturable Wound Dressings

Science.gov (United States)

Vora, Asad

Polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, and starch have excellent bio-compatible and bio-degradable properties. Their applications in drug delivery, wound dressings, artificial cartilage materials have increased dramatically due to their much sought-after renewable and biological properties. Hence, polyvinyl alcohol has been chosen for this study to test the feasibility of polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers towards the manufacturable wound dressings. Polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers are prepared via electrospinning technique, where different wt% polyvinyl alcohol solutions are prepared. The fibers were optimized by varying important electrospninning parameters which include voltage applied, the collector-needle distance and flow rate. Morphology and structure of the electrospun fibers are analysed using scanning electron microscopy and fourier transform infrared respectively. The diameter of fibers obtained was found to be in the range of 100 nm-160 nm. Thermal stability was examined using DSC and TGA characterization technique and fibers are found to be stable up to 220oC. Finally, each weight sample of PVA fibers are analysed by goniometer for wettability and is found to be hydrophilic.

Electrospun polymeric dressings functionalized with antimicrobial peptides and collagen type I for enhanced wound healing

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Felgueiras, H. P.; Amorim, M. T. P.

2017-10-01

Modern wound dressings combine medical textiles with active compounds that stimulate wound healing while protecting against infection. Electrospun wound dressings have been extensively studied and the electrospinning technique recognized as an efficient approach for the production of nanoscale fibrous mats. The unique diverse function and architecture of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has attracted considerable attention as a tool for the design of new anti-infective drugs. Functionalizing electrospun wound dressings with these AMPs is nowadays being researched. In the present work, we explore these new systems by highlighting the most important characteristics of electropsun wound dressings, revealing the importance of AMPs to wound healing, and the methods available to functionalize the electrospun mats with these molecules. The combined therapeutic potential of collagen type I and these AMP functionalized dressings will be highlighted as well; the significance of these new strategies for the future of wound healing will be clarified.

Electrospun nanofibrous materials for tissue engineering and drug delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenguo Cui, Yue Zhou and Jiang Chang

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The electrospinning technique, which was invented about 100 years ago, has attracted more attention in recent years due to its possible biomedical applications. Electrospun fibers with high surface area to volume ratio and structures mimicking extracellular matrix (ECM have shown great potential in tissue engineering and drug delivery. In order to develop electrospun fibers for these applications, different biocompatible materials have been used to fabricate fibers with different structures and morphologies, such as single fibers with different composition and structures (blending and core-shell composite fibers and fiber assemblies (fiber bundles, membranes and scaffolds. This review summarizes the electrospinning techniques which control the composition and structures of the nanofibrous materials. It also outlines possible applications of these fibrous materials in skin, blood vessels, nervous system and bone tissue engineering, as well as in drug delivery.

Gecko-Inspired Electrospun Flexible Fiber Arrays for Adhesion

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Najem, Johnny F.

The ability of geckos to adhere to vertical solid surfaces comes from their remarkable feet with millions of projections terminating in nanometer spatulae. We present a simple yet robust method for fabricating directionally sensitive dry adhesives. By using electrospun nylon 6 nanofiber arrays, we create gecko-inspired dry adhesives, that are electrically insulating, and that show shear adhesion strength of 27 N/cm2 on a glass slide. This measured value is 270% that reported of gecko feet and 97-fold above normal adhesion strength of the same arrays. The data indicate a strong shear binding-on and easy normal lifting-off. This anisotropic strength distribution is attributed to an enhanced shear adhesion strength with decreasing fiber diameter (d) and an optimum performance of nanofiber arrays in the shear direction over a specific range of thicknesses. With use of electrospinning, we report the fabrication of nylon 6 nanofiber arrays that show a friction coefficient (mu) of 11.5. These arrays possess significant shear adhesion strength and low normal adhesion strength. Increasing the applied normal load considerably enhances the shear adhesion strength and mu, irrespective of d and fiber arrays thickness (T). Fiber bending stiffness and fiber surface roughness are considerably decreased with diminishing d while fiber packing density is noticeably increased. These enhancements are proposed to considerably upsurge the shear adhesion strength between nanofiber arrays and a glass slide. The latter upsurge is mainly attributed to a sizeable proliferation in van der Waals (vdW) forces. These nanofiber arrays can be alternatively bound-on and lifted-off over a glass slide with a trivial decrease in the initial mu and adhesion strength. By using selective coating technique, we have also created hierarchical structures having closely packed nanofibers with d of 50 nm. We determine the effects of applied normal load, fiber surface roughness, loading angle, d, T, and repeated

An Overview on Application of Natural Substances Incorporated with Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds to Development of Innovative Wound Dressings.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilehvar-Soltanahmadi, Younes; Dadashpour, Mehdi; Mohajeri, Abbas; Fattahi, Amir; Sheervalilou, Roghayeh; Zarghami, Nosratollah

2018-02-14

Conventional dressings are cost-effective and highly absorbent, but not effectual enough to promote hemostasis, adherence and in holding a moist wound bed. Thanks to the developments in the field of nanotechnology and bioengineering, one of the promising current trends is to move progress of innovative wound dressings, merging the application of traditional healing agents and modern products/ practices, such as hydrocolloids, hydrogels, films and nanofibers. This review surveys on potentials of electrospun nanofibrous mats for wound dressing applications. Furthermore, loading of bioactive molecules and therapeutic agents into the nanofibrous mats especially natural compounds with the aim of fabrication novel bioactive electrospun nanofibrous mats for skin substitutes and wound dressings are discussed. Systematic literature search was conducted to review all recent progress toward the potential of natural substances incorporated with electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds for wound dressing applications. The electrospun nanofibers webs can provide the essential parameters require for wound dressing to heal wounds including absorptivity, oxygen permeability, and non-adherence to the healing tissue, barrier to bacteria, bioactivity and occlusivity. The modern wound dressings materials made of electrospun nanofibers contain various traditional healing agents such as plant derived compounds could be beneficial to the healing of wounds. Natural substances have been used in skin wound care for many years because of their therapeutic properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and mitogenic activities. A screening of natural substances with plant or animal sources having high wound healer activities and cooperating with electrospun nanofiber are an important step toward producing innovative bioactive wound dressings. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Functional electrospun nanofibers for multimodal sensitive detection of biogenic amines in food via a simple dipstick assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Yurova, Nadezhda S; Danchuk, Alexandra; Mobarez, Sarah N; Wongkaew, Nongnoot; Rusanova, Tatiana; Baeumner, Antje J; Duerkop, Axel

2018-01-01

Electrospun nanofibers (ENFs) are promising materials for rapid diagnostic tests like lateral flow assays and dipsticks because they offer an immense surface area while excluding minimal volume, a variety of functional surface groups, and can entrap functional additives within their interior. Here, we show that ENFs on sample pads are superior in comparison to standard polymer membranes for the optical detection of biogenic amines (BAs) in food using a dipstick format. Specifically, cellulose acetate (CA) fibers doped with 2 mg/mL of the chromogenic and fluorogenic amine-reactive chameleon dye Py-1 were electrospun into uniform anionic mats. Those extract cationic BAs from real samples and Py-1 transduces BA concentrations into a change of color, reflectance, and fluorescence. Dropping a BA sample onto the nanofiber mat converts the weakly fluorescent pyrylium dye Py-1 into a strongly red emitting pyridinium dye. For the first time, a simple UV lamp excites fluorescence and a digital camera acts as detector. The intensity ratio of the red to the blue channel of the digital image is dependent on the concentration of most relevant BAs indicating food spoilage from 10 to 250 μM. This matches the permitted limits for BAs in foods and no false positive signals arise from secondary and tertiary amines. BA detection in seafood samples was also demonstrated successfully. The nanofiber mat dipsticks were up to sixfold more sensitive than those using a polymer membrane with the same dye embedded. Hence, nanofiber-based tests are not only superior to polymer-based dipstick assays, but will also improve the performance of established tests related to food safety, medical diagnostics, and environmental testing. Graphical Absract ᅟ.

Effect of fiber orientation of collagen-based electrospun meshes on human fibroblasts for ligament tissue engineering applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Full, Sean Michael; Delman, Connor; Gluck, Jessica M; Abdmaulen, Raushan; Shemin, Richard J; Heydarkhan-Hagvall, Sepideh

2015-01-01

Within the past two decades polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) has gained considerable attention as a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer that is suitable for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this present study, we have investigated the potential of PLGA, collagen I (ColI), and polyurethane (PU) scaffolds for ligament tissue regeneration. Two different ratios of PLGA (50:50 and 85:15) were used to determine the effects on mechanical tensile properties and cell adhesion. The Young's modulus, tensile stress at yield, and ultimate tensile strain of PLGA(50:50)-ColI-PU scaffolds demonstrated similar tensile properties to that of ligaments found in the knee. Whereas, scaffolds composed of PLGA(85:15)-ColI-PU had lower tensile properties than that of ligaments. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of fiber orientation on mechanical properties and our results indicate that aligned fiber scaffolds demonstrate higher tensile properties than scaffolds with random fiber orientation. Also, human fibroblasts attached and proliferated with no need for additional surface modifications to the presented electrospun scaffolds in both categories. Collectively, our investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of electrospun PLGA scaffolds as a suitable candidate for regenerative medicine, capable of being manipulated and combined with other polymers to create three-dimensional microenvironments with adjustable tensile properties to mimic native tissues. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of low contents of superhydrophilic MWCNT on the properties and cell viability of electrospun poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, Bruno V.M.; Silva, Aline S.; Melo, Gabriela F.S.; Vasconscellos, Luana M.R.; Marciano, Fernanda R.; Lobo, Anderson O.

2016-01-01

The use of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) in tissue engineering, more specifically in bone regeneration, has been underexplored to date due to its poor mechanical resistance. In order to overcome this drawback, this investigation presents an approach into the preparation of electrospun nanocomposite fibers from PBAT and low contents of superhydrophilic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (sMWCNT) (0.1–0.5 wt.%) as reinforcing agent. We employed a wide range of characterization techniques to evaluate the properties of the resulting electrospun nanocomposites, including Field Emission Scanning Electronic Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM), tensile tests, contact angle measurements (CA) and biological assays. FE-SEM micrographs showed that while the addition of sMWCNT increased the presence of beads on the electrospun fibers' surfaces, the increase of the neat charge density due to their presence reduced the fibers' average diameter. The tensile test results pointed that sMWCNT acted as reinforcement in the PBAT electrospun matrix, enhancing its tensile strength (from 1.3 to 3.6 MPa with addition of 0.5 wt.% of sMWCNT) and leading to stiffer materials (lower elongation at break). An evaluation using MG63 cells revealed cell attachment into the biomaterials and that all samples were viable for biomedical applications, once no cytotoxic effect was observed. MG-63 cells osteogenic differentiation, measured by ALP activity, showed that mineralized nodules formation was increased in PBAT/0.5%CNTs when compared to control group (cells). This investigation demonstrated a feasible novel approach for producing electrospun nanocomposites from PBAT and sMWCNT with enhanced mechanical properties and adequate cell viability levels, which allows for a wide range of biomedical applications for these materials. - Highlights: • Nanocomposites from PBAT and superhydrophilic MWCNT (sMWCNT) were successfully prepared by electrospinning

Transfer printing and patterning of stretchable electrospun film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan, Yongqing; Huang, YongAn, E-mail: yahuang@hust.edu.cn; Yin, Zhouping

2013-10-01

Electrospinning is an effective method for nanofiber production, but seldom used in the fabrication of patterned structures directly due to the whipping instability of the electrospinning jet. The whipping instability of electrospinning is adopted to fabricate stretchable patterned film by combination with an improved thermal transfer printing. The electrospun film is composed of small-scale wavy/coiled fibers, which make the patterned film highly stretchable. The optimal process parameters of whipping-based electrospinning are investigated to fabricate electrospun film with uniform and compact wavy/coiled fiber. Then the transfer printing and thermal detachment lithography are studied to generate patterned film, including the pressure, temperature, and peeling-off speed. Finally, the stretchability of the patterned electrospun film is studied through experiment and finite element analysis. It may open a cost-effective and high-throughput way for flexible/stretchable electronics fabrication. - Highlights: • Stretchable nonwoven film with small-scale wavy fibers is fabricated. • The film is transferred and patterned by thermal detachment lithography. • The patterned film is validated with high stretchability.

Novel Technique for Quantitative Fast Scanning Calorimetry on Electrospun Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, David; Govinna, Nelaka; Schick, Christoph; Cebe, Peggy

Fast scanning chip calorimetry allows for the study of polymers which have rapid nucleation and/or crystallization kinetics, or degrade within their melting range. Heating rates used, up to 4000 K/s, allow studies of hetero and homogeneous nucleation at time scales inaccessible with conventional calorimeters, whose rates are typically alcohol (PVA) were chosen in the development of a new methodology to obtain quantitative fast scanning thermal data from electrospun nanofibers using a Flash DSC1. The structure of nanofibers requires special methods to load nanogram-sized samples onto a UFSC1 sensor. Fibers were directly spun onto TEM grids which provide a durable substrate to support bundles of nanofibers and possess excellent thermal conductivity allowing for a strong, repeatable signal and ensure good sample to sensor contact. As spun samples were held isothermally at temperatures ranging from Tg to Tm then heated at 2,000 K/s to assess as-spun crystallinity and cold crystallization behaviors. Above Tm the fibers break up into micro- and nano-droplets. On these samples, melt crystallization experiments were performed to study nucleation and crystallization of polymer confined to nanodroplet morphology. NSF DMR-1608125.

In vitro evaluation of electrospun chitosan mats crosslinked with genipin as guided tissue regeneration barrier membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Norowski, Peter Andrew, Jr.

Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) is a surgical technique commonly used to exclude bacteria and soft tissues from bone graft sites in oral/maxillofacial bone graft sites by using a barrier membrane to maintain the graft contour and space. Current clinical barrier membrane materials based on expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and bovine type 1 collagen are non-ideal and experience a number of disadvantages including membrane exposure, bacterial colonization/biofilm formation and premature degradation, all of which result in increased surgical intervention and poor bone regeneration. These materials do not actively participate in tissue regeneration, however bioactive materials, such as chitosan, may provide advantages such as the ability to stimulate wound healing and de novo bone formation. Our hypothesis is that electrospun chitosan GTR membranes will support cell attachment and growth but prevent cell infiltration/penetration of membrane, demonstrate in vitro degradation predictive of 4--6 month in vivo functionality, and will deliver antibiotics locally to prevent/inhibit periopathogenic complications. To test this hypothesis a series of chitosan membranes were electrospun, in the presence or absence of genipin, a natural crosslinking agent, at concentrations of 5 and 10 mM. These membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, tensile testing, suture pullout testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and gel permeation chromatography, and in vitro biodegradation for diameter/morphology of fibers, membrane strengths, degree of crosslinking, crystallinity, molecular weight, and degradation kinetics, respectively. Cytocompability of membranes was evaluated in osteoblastic, fibroblastic and monocyte cultures. The activity of minocycline loaded and released from the membranes was determined in zone of inhibition tests using P. gingivalis microbe. The results demonstrated that genipin crosslinking extended the in vitro

Fabrication and mechanical characterization of 3D electrospun scaffolds for tissue engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, L D; Young, R T; Andric, T; Freeman, J W

2010-01-01

Electrospinning is a polymer processing technique that produces fibrous structures comparable to the extracellular matrix of many tissues. Electrospinning, however, has been severely limited in its tissue engineering capabilities because this technique has produced few three-dimensional structures. Sintering of electrospun materials provides a method to fabricate unique architectures and allow much larger structures to be made. Electrospun mats were sintered into strips and cylinders, and their tensile and compressive mechanical properties were measured. In addition, electrospun materials with salt pores (salt embedded within the material and then leached out) were fabricated to improve porosity of the electrospun materials for tissue engineering scaffolds. Sintered electrospun poly(d,l-lactide) and poly(l-lactide) (PDLA/PLLA) materials have higher tensile mechanical properties (modulus: 72.3 MPa, yield: 960 kPa) compared to unsintered PLLA (modulus: 40.36 MPa, yield: 675.5 kPa). Electrospun PDLA/PLLA cylinders with and without salt-leached pores had compressive moduli of 6.69 and 26.86 MPa, respectively, and compressive yields of 1.36 and 0.56 MPa, respectively. Sintering of electrospun materials is a novel technique that improves electrospinning application in tissue engineering by increasing the size and types of electrospun structures that can be fabricated.

Denaturing of single electrospun fibrinogen fibers studied by deep ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jeongyong; Song, Hugeun; Park, Inho; Carlisle, Christine R; Bonin, Keith; Guthold, Martin

2011-03-01

Deep ultraviolet (DUV) microscopy is a fluorescence microscopy technique to image unlabeled proteins via the native fluorescence of some of their amino acids. We constructed a DUV fluorescence microscope, capable of 280 nm wavelength excitation by modifying an inverted optical microscope. Moreover, we integrated a nanomanipulator-controlled micropipette into this instrument for precise delivery of picoliter amounts of fluid to selected regions of the sample. In proof-of-principle experiments, we used this instrument to study, in situ, the effect of a denaturing agent on the autofluorescence intensity of single, unlabeled, electrospun fibrinogen nanofibers. Autofluorescence emission from the nanofibers was excited at 280 nm and detected at ∼350 nm. A denaturant solution was discretely applied to small, select sections of the nanofibers and a clear local reduction in autofluorescence intensity was observed. This reduction is attributed to the dissolution of the fibers and the unfolding of proteins in the fibers. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Advances in electrospun carbon fiber-based electrochemical sensing platforms for bioanalytical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Xianwen; Tian, Wenda; Hatton, T Alan; Rutledge, Gregory C

2016-02-01

Electrochemical sensing is an efficient and inexpensive method for detection of a range of chemicals of biological, clinical, and environmental interest. Carbon materials-based electrodes are commonly employed for the development of electrochemical sensors because of their low cost, biocompatibility, and facile electron transfer kinetics. Electrospun carbon fibers (ECFs), prepared by electrospinning of a polymeric precursor and subsequent thermal treatment, have emerged as promising carbon systems for biosensing applications since the electrochemical properties of these carbon fibers can be easily modified by processing conditions and post-treatment. This review addresses recent progress in the use of ECFs for sensor fabrication and analyte detection. We focus on the modification strategies of ECFs and identification of the key components that impart the bioelectroanalytical activities, and point out the future challenges that must be addressed in order to advance the fundamental understanding of the ECF electrochemistry and to realize the practical applications of ECF-based sensing devices.

Protein valves prepared by click reaction grafting of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) to electrospun poly(vinyl chloride) fibrous membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jian-Wei; Lin, Zhen-Yu; Chang, Chi-Jung; Lu, Chien-Hsing; Chen, Jem-Kun

2018-05-01

In this study, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was electrospun into fibrous membranes and then reacted with NaN3 to generate azido-terminated PVC fibrous membranes. A propargyl-terminated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) was also synthesized and then grafted, through click reactions, onto the azido-terminated PVC fiber surface. Protrusion-, scale-, and joint-like structures of the PNIPAAm grafts on the PVC fibers were formed upon increasing the molecular weight of the PNIPAAm grafts. The PNIPAAm-grafted PVC fibrous mats exhibited completely wetted surfaces at 25 °C because of their high roughness. The static water contact angle of the PNIPAAm-grafted PVC fibrous mats reached 140° when the temperature was increased to 45 °C. This thermoresponsive behavior was significantly greater than that of the PNIPAAm grafted on a flat surface. Temperature-responsive membranes were constructed having a pore size of 1.38 μm and applied as protein valves to block and release an antibody (fluorescein-conjugated AffiniPure goat anti-rabbit IgG). At 25 °C, the collection efficiency remained at 94% for antibody concentrations up to 60 ng/L. As the temperature increased to 45 °C, the collection efficiency decreased abruptly, to 4%, when the antibody concentration was greater than 20 ng/L. Accordingly, this system of PNIPAAm-grafted PVC fibers functioned as a protein valve allowing the capture and concentration of proteins.

Superhydrophobic surfaces of electrospun block copolymer fibers with low content of fluorosilicones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Xiaoping; Yi, Lingmin; Meng, Xiaomei; Xu, Kai; Jiang, Tengteng; Lai, Dongzhi

2014-01-01

A series of well-defined poly[methyl(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)siloxane]-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMTFPS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymers with low content of PMTFPS were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of MMA from PMTFPS macroinitiators (PMTFPS-Br). The polymerization result reveals that the ATRP of MMA from PMTFPS-Br is fist-order with respect to MMA under different polymerization conditions, demonstrating a typical characteristic of living polymerization. The results also show that PMTFPS-b-PMMA diblock copolymers can exhibit a total surface tension (γ S ) varying from 25.28 mN/m to 21.87 mN/m with the change of PMTFPS contents from 2.6 wt% to 22.2 wt%. Moreover, the water contact angles of electrospun PMTFPS-b-PMMA surfaces could be higher than 150° with water roll-off angles less than 10°, which denotes a superhydrophobic property. However, the electronspinning conditions, especially the concentration of spinning solution, would have important effect on the surface morphology, surface composition and wetting behavior of electrospun films. It was found that bead-free fibers with uniform diameter as well as good superhydrophobic property could be prepared on condition that the polymer concentration of spinning solution was as high as 32 wt% in the mixed solvent of DMF and THF.

CONTROL OF DIMENSIONAL STABILITY AND DEGRADATION RATE IN ELECTROSPUN COMPOSITE SCAFFOLDS COMPOSED OF POLY(D,L-LACTIDE-CO-GLYCOLIDE)AND POLY(Ε-CAPROLACTONE)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of composition poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly(ε-caprolactone)(PLGA/PCL)blending on the morphology,shrinkage and degradation behaviors of the electrospun fibers.With the increase of PLGA content in the composite fibers,the average diameter of the electrospun fibers increased from 1.35 μm to 1.95μm.The serious shrinking of the electrospun PLGA meshes could be circumvented by adding 20% PCL in the fibers,resulting from the semi-crystalline nature of PCL.The degradation rate of the electrospun meshes could be modulated by PLGA/PCL composition.In addition,the electrospun meshes containing 20% PCL displayed stable dimensional morphology with degradation.

Novel poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin wound dressings prepared by emulsion electrospinning with controlled release capacity of Ketoprofen anti-inflammatory drug.

Science.gov (United States)

Basar, A O; Castro, S; Torres-Giner, S; Lagaron, J M; Turkoglu Sasmazel, H

2017-12-01

In the present study, a single and binary Ketoprofen-loaded mats of ultrathin fibers were developed by electrospinning and their physical properties and drug release capacity was analyzed. The single mat was prepared by solution electrospinning of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with Ketoprofen at a weight ratio of 5wt%. This Ketoprofen-containing PCL solution was also used as the oil phase in a 7:3 (wt/wt) emulsion with gelatin dissolved in acidified water. The resultant stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion of PCL-in-gelatin, also containing Ketoprofen at 5wt%, was electrospun to produce the binary mat. Cross-linking process was performed by means of glutaraldehyde vapor on the electrospun binary mat to prevent dissolution of the hydrophilic gelatin phase. The performed characterization indicated that Ketoprofen was successfully embedded in the single and binary electrospun mats, i.e. PCL and PCL/gelatin, and both mats showed high hydrophobicity but poor thermal resistance. In vitro release studies interestingly revealed that, in comparison to the single PCL electrospun mat, the binary PCL/gelatin mat significantly hindered Ketoprofen burst release and exhibited a sustained release capacity of the drug for up to 4days. In addition, the electrospun Ketoprofen-loaded mats showed enhanced attachment and proliferation of L929 mouse fibroblast cells, presenting the binary mat the highest cell growth yield due to its improved porosity. The here-developed electrospun materials clearly show a great deal of potential as novel wound dressings with an outstanding controlled capacity to release drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds: engineering soft tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumbar, S G; Nukavarapu, S P; Laurencin, C T; James, R

2008-01-01

Electrospinning has emerged to be a simple, elegant and scalable technique to fabricate polymeric nanofibers. Pure polymers as well as blends and composites of both natural and synthetics have been successfully electrospun into nanofiber matrices. Physiochemical properties of nanofiber matrices can be controlled by manipulating electrospinning parameters to meet the requirements of a specific application. Such efforts include the fabrication of fiber matrices containing nanofibers, microfibers, combination of nano-microfibers and also different fiber orientation/alignments. Polymeric nanofiber matrices have been extensively investigated for diversified uses such as filtration, barrier fabrics, wipes, personal care, biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Recently electrospun nanofiber matrices have gained a lot of attention, and are being explored as scaffolds in tissue engineering due to their properties that can modulate cellular behavior. Electrospun nanofiber matrices show morphological similarities to the natural extra-cellular matrix (ECM), characterized by ultrafine continuous fibers, high surface-to-volume ratio, high porosity and variable pore-size distribution. Efforts have been made to modify nanofiber surfaces with several bioactive molecules to provide cells with the necessary chemical cues and a more in vivo like environment. The current paper provides an overlook on such efforts in designing nanofiber matrices as scaffolds in the regeneration of various soft tissues including skin, blood vessel, tendon/ligament, cardiac patch, nerve and skeletal muscle

Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds: engineering soft tissues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumbar, S G; Nukavarapu, S P; Laurencin, C T [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia, VA 22908 (United States); James, R [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, VA 22908 (United States)], E-mail: laurencin@virginia.edu

2008-09-01

Electrospinning has emerged to be a simple, elegant and scalable technique to fabricate polymeric nanofibers. Pure polymers as well as blends and composites of both natural and synthetics have been successfully electrospun into nanofiber matrices. Physiochemical properties of nanofiber matrices can be controlled by manipulating electrospinning parameters to meet the requirements of a specific application. Such efforts include the fabrication of fiber matrices containing nanofibers, microfibers, combination of nano-microfibers and also different fiber orientation/alignments. Polymeric nanofiber matrices have been extensively investigated for diversified uses such as filtration, barrier fabrics, wipes, personal care, biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Recently electrospun nanofiber matrices have gained a lot of attention, and are being explored as scaffolds in tissue engineering due to their properties that can modulate cellular behavior. Electrospun nanofiber matrices show morphological similarities to the natural extra-cellular matrix (ECM), characterized by ultrafine continuous fibers, high surface-to-volume ratio, high porosity and variable pore-size distribution. Efforts have been made to modify nanofiber surfaces with several bioactive molecules to provide cells with the necessary chemical cues and a more in vivo like environment. The current paper provides an overlook on such efforts in designing nanofiber matrices as scaffolds in the regeneration of various soft tissues including skin, blood vessel, tendon/ligament, cardiac patch, nerve and skeletal muscle.

Molecular orientation in aligned electrospun polyimide nanofibers by polarized FT-IR spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Haoqi; Jiang, Shaohua; Fang, Hong; Hu, Xiaowu; Duan, Gaigai; Hou, Haoqing

2018-07-05

Quantitative explanation on the improved mechanical properties of aligned electrospun polyimide (PI) nanofibers as the increased imidization temperatures is highly required. In this work, polarized FT-IR spectroscopy is applied to solve this problem. Based on the polarized FT-IR spectroscopy and the molecular model in the fibers, the length of the repeat unit of PI molecule, the angle between the fiber axis and the symmetric stretching direction of carbonyl group on the imide ring, and the angle between the PI molecular axis and fiber axis are all investigated. The Mark-Howink equation is used to calculate the number-average molar mass of PI molecules. The orientation states of PI molecules in the electrospun nanofibers are studied from the number-average molar mass of PI molecules and the average fiber diameter. Quantitative analysis of the orientation factor of PI molecules in the electrospun nanofibers is performed by polarized FT-IR spectroscopy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Free-standing and mechanically flexible mats consisting of electrospun carbon nanofibers made from a natural product of alkali lignin as binder-free electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Chuilin; Zhou, Zhengping; Zhang, Lifeng; Wang, Xiaoxu; Zhou, Qixin; Zhao, Yong; Wang, Yechun; Wu, Xiang-Fa; Zhu, Zhengtao; Fong, Hao

2014-02-01

Mechanically flexible mats consisting of electrospun carbon nanofibers (ECNFs) were prepared by first electrospinning aqueous mixtures containing a natural product of alkali lignin together with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) into composite nanofiber mats followed by stabilization in air and carbonization in an inert environment. Morphological and structural properties, as well as specific surface area, total pore volume, average pore size, and pore size distribution, of the lignin-based ECNF mats were characterized; and their electrochemical performances (i.e., capacitive behaviors) were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The lignin-based ECNF mats exhibited outstanding performance as free-standing and/or binder-free electrodes of supercapacitors. For example, the ECNFs made from the composite nanofibers with mass ratio of lignin/PVA being 70/30 (i.e., ECNFs (70/30)) had the average diameter of ∼100 nm and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area of ∼583 m2 g-1. The gravimetric capacitance of ECNFs (70/30) electrode in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte exhibited 64 F g-1 at current density of 400 mA g-1 and 50 F g-1 at 2000 mA g-1. The ECNFs (70/30) electrode also exhibited excellent cycling durability/stability, and the gravimetric capacitance merely reduced by ∼10% after 6000 cycles of charge/discharge.

Method for production of carbon nanofiber mat or carbon paper

Science.gov (United States)

Naskar, Amit K.

2015-08-04

Method for the preparation of a non-woven mat or paper made of carbon fibers, the method comprising carbonizing a non-woven mat or paper preform (precursor) comprised of a plurality of bonded sulfonated polyolefin fibers to produce said non-woven mat or paper made of carbon fibers. The preforms and resulting non-woven mat or paper made of carbon fiber, as well as articles and devices containing them, and methods for their use, are also described.

Electrospun nanofibre fibrinogen for urinary tract tissue reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McManus, Michael; Boland, Eugene; Sell, Scott; Bowen, Whitney; Koo, Harry; Simpson, David; Bowlin, Gary

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBSM) remodel electrospun fibrinogen mats. Fibrinogen scaffolds were electrospun and disinfected using standard methods. Scaffolds were seeded with 5 x 10 4 HBSM per scaffold. Cultures were supplemented with aprotinin concentrations of 0 KIU ml -1 (no aprotinin), 100 KIU ml -1 or 1000 KIU ml -1 and incubated with twice weekly media changes. Samples were removed for evaluation at 1, 3, 7 and 14 days. Cultured scaffolds were evaluated with a WST-1 cell proliferation assay, scanning electron microscopy and histology. Cell culture demonstrated that HBSM readily migrated into and initiated remodelling of the electrospun fibrinogen scaffolds by deposition of collagen. Proliferation was suppressed during this initial phase with respect to a 2D control due to cell migration. Histology confirmed that proliferation increased during the later stages of remodelling. Remodelling was slower at higher aprotinin concentrations. These results demonstrate that HBSM rapidly remodel an electrospun fibrinogen scaffold and deposit native collagen. The process can be modulated using aprotinin, a protease inhibitor. These initial findings indicate that there is tremendous potential for electrospun fibrinogen as a urologic tissue engineering scaffold with the ultimate goal of producing an implantable acellular product that would promote cellular in-growth and in situ tissue regeneration

Elastic Evaluation of Poly(Lactic Acid) Electrospun Membranes Using the Pulsed Photoacoustic Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Navarrete, M.; Vera-Graziano, R.; Maciel-Cerda, A.; Sánchez-Arévalo, F. M.; Godínez, F. A.

2017-08-01

Fibrous membranes manufactured by electrospinning possess unique features such as a high porosity and large specific surface area, making them suitable for applications in tissue engineering. However, the determination of their mechanical behavior under different loading conditions remains one of the most difficult technical problems for researchers to overcome. While the tensile properties of this kind of membrane are commonly reported in the literature, few explorations of their properties in other directions have been reported. In this paper, the pulsed photoacoustic technique is employed to obtain the elastic constants of electrospun non-woven membranes, specifically in two directions ( L, T). The electrospun samples are hybrid fiber membranes of poly(lactic acid) and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles at different concentrations. It is found that the concentration of HA nanoparticles determines the mechanical response of the membrane, where the nanoparticles act either as a reinforcement or as a mesh defect. The elastic constants (EL, ET, GL, GT, vL, ν T) are obtained through velocity waves related to the stress-strain equations, using samples with two different geometries and considering the electrospinning mats as a transversely isotropic material. These values are compared to those acquired using macro-tensile testing equipment according to the ASTM D1708 standard.

Tunable engineered skin mechanics via coaxial electrospun fiber core diameter.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackstone, Britani Nicole; Drexler, Jason William; Powell, Heather Megan

2014-10-01

Autologous engineered skin (ES) offers promise as a treatment for massive full thickness burns. Unfortunately, ES is orders of magnitude weaker than normal human skin causing it to be difficult to apply surgically and subject to damage by mechanical shear in the early phases of engraftment. In addition, no manufacturing strategy has been developed to tune ES biomechanics to approximate the native biomechanics at different anatomic locations. To enhance and tune ES biomechanics, a coaxial (CoA) electrospun scaffold platform was developed from polycaprolactone (PCL, core) and gelatin (shell). The ability of the coaxial fiber core diameter to control both scaffold and tissue mechanics was investigated along with the ability of the gelatin shell to facilitate cell adhesion and skin development compared to pure gelatin, pure PCL, and a gelatin-PCL blended fiber scaffold. CoA ES exhibited increased cellular adhesion and metabolism versus PCL alone or gelatin-PCL blend and promoted the development of well stratified skin with a dense dermal layer and a differentiated epidermal layer. Biomechanics of the scaffold and ES scaled linearly with core diameter suggesting that this scaffold platform could be utilized to tailor ES mechanics for their intended grafting site and reduce graft damage in vitro and in vivo.

Tunable Engineered Skin Mechanics via Coaxial Electrospun Fiber Core Diameter

Science.gov (United States)

Blackstone, Britani Nicole; Drexler, Jason William

2014-01-01

Autologous engineered skin (ES) offers promise as a treatment for massive full thickness burns. Unfortunately, ES is orders of magnitude weaker than normal human skin causing it to be difficult to apply surgically and subject to damage by mechanical shear in the early phases of engraftment. In addition, no manufacturing strategy has been developed to tune ES biomechanics to approximate the native biomechanics at different anatomic locations. To enhance and tune ES biomechanics, a coaxial (CoA) electrospun scaffold platform was developed from polycaprolactone (PCL, core) and gelatin (shell). The ability of the coaxial fiber core diameter to control both scaffold and tissue mechanics was investigated along with the ability of the gelatin shell to facilitate cell adhesion and skin development compared to pure gelatin, pure PCL, and a gelatin-PCL blended fiber scaffold. CoA ES exhibited increased cellular adhesion and metabolism versus PCL alone or gelatin-PCL blend and promoted the development of well stratified skin with a dense dermal layer and a differentiated epidermal layer. Biomechanics of the scaffold and ES scaled linearly with core diameter suggesting that this scaffold platform could be utilized to tailor ES mechanics for their intended grafting site and reduce graft damage in vitro and in vivo. PMID:24712409

Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Studies of Electrospun Poly(dimethylsiloxane)/Poly (methyl methacrylate)/Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, A. Douglas; Larios, Eduardo; Alamgir, Faisal M.; Jaye, Cherno; Fischer, Daniel; Campo, Eva M.

2014-01-01

This work describes the near conduction band edge structure of electrospun mats of MWCNT-PDMS-PMMA by near edge X-Ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. Effects of adding nanofillers of different sizes were addressed. Despite observed morphological variations and inhomogeneous carbon nanotube distribution, spun mats appeared homogeneous under NEXAFS analysis. Spectra revealed differences in emissions from glancing and normal spectra; which may evidence phase separation within the bulk of the micron-size fibers. Further, dichroic ratios show polymer chains did not align, even in the presence of nanofillers. Addition of nanofillers affected emissions in the C-H, C=O and C-C regimes, suggesting their involvement in interfacial matrix-carbon nanotube bonding. Spectral differences at glancing angles between pristine and composite mats suggest that geometric conformational configurations are taking place between polymeric chains and carbon nanotubes. These differences appear to be carbon nanotube-dimension dependent, and are promoted upon room temperature mixing and shear flow during electrospinning. CH-π bonding between polymer chains and graphitic walls, as well as H-bonds between impurities in the as-grown CNTs and polymer pendant groups are proposed bonding mechanisms promoting matrix conformation. PMID:24308286

MAGNOLOL ENTRAPPED ULTRA-FINE FIBROUS MATS ELECTROSPUN FROM POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)-b-POLY(L-LACTIDE) AND IN VITRO RELEASE

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Hao Wang; Hong-rui Song; Yong Cui; Ying-jie Deng; Xue-si Chen

2011-01-01

Ultra-fine fibrous mats with magnolol entrapped have been prepared by electrospinning biodegradable copolymer poly(ethylene glycol) blocked poly(L-lactide). Drug entrapment was perfect which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. According to in vitro drug release investigation by high performance liquid chromatography, it was found that fibers with 10％, 20％ and 30％ drug entrapped respect to polymer (mass ratio) presented dramatically different drug release behavior and degradation behavior under the effect of proteinase K. The reason may be that fibers with 10％ drug entrapped was more easily affected by enzyme while, to some degree, magnolol in fibers with 20％ and 30％ entrapped prevented polymer from being degraded by enzyme.

Superhydrophobic surfaces of electrospun block copolymer fibers with low content of fluorosilicones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, Xiaoping [Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Yi, Lingmin, E-mail: lmyi@zstu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (United States); Meng, Xiaomei; Xu, Kai [Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Jiang, Tengteng; Lai, Dongzhi [Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China)

2014-07-01

A series of well-defined poly[methyl(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)siloxane]-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMTFPS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymers with low content of PMTFPS were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of MMA from PMTFPS macroinitiators (PMTFPS-Br). The polymerization result reveals that the ATRP of MMA from PMTFPS-Br is fist-order with respect to MMA under different polymerization conditions, demonstrating a typical characteristic of living polymerization. The results also show that PMTFPS-b-PMMA diblock copolymers can exhibit a total surface tension (γ{sub S}) varying from 25.28 mN/m to 21.87 mN/m with the change of PMTFPS contents from 2.6 wt% to 22.2 wt%. Moreover, the water contact angles of electrospun PMTFPS-b-PMMA surfaces could be higher than 150° with water roll-off angles less than 10°, which denotes a superhydrophobic property. However, the electronspinning conditions, especially the concentration of spinning solution, would have important effect on the surface morphology, surface composition and wetting behavior of electrospun films. It was found that bead-free fibers with uniform diameter as well as good superhydrophobic property could be prepared on condition that the polymer concentration of spinning solution was as high as 32 wt% in the mixed solvent of DMF and THF.

Electrospun polyimide-based fiber membranes as polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qiujun; Song, Wei-Li; Wang, Luning; Song, Yu; Shi, Qiao; Fan, Li-Zhen

2014-01-01

Polymer electrolytes based on electrospun polyimide (PI) membranes are incorporated with electrolyte solution containing 1 mol L −1 LiPF 6 /ethylene carbonate/ethylmethyl carbonate/dimethyl carbonate to examine their potential application for lithium ion batteries. The as-electrospun non-woven membranes demonstrate a uniformly interconnected structure with an average fiber diameter of 800 nm. The membranes, showing superior thermal stability and flame retardant property compared to the commercial Celgard® membranes, exhibit high porosity and high uptake when activated with the liquid electrolyte. The resulting PI electrolytes (PIs) have a high ionic conductivity up to 2.0 × 10 −3 S cm −1 at 25 °C, and exhibit a high electrochemical stability potential more than 5.0 V (vs. Li/Li + ). They also possess excellent charge/discharge performance and capacity retention. The initial discharge capacities of the Li/PIs/Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 cells are 178.4, 167.4, 160.3, 148.3 and 135.9 mAh g −1 at the charge/discharge rates of 0.2 C, 1 C, 2 C, 5 C and 10 C, respectively. After 200 cycles at 5 C, a capacity around ∼146.8 mAh g −1 can be still achieved. The PI-based polymer electrolytes with strong mechanical properties and good electrochemical performance are proved to be promising electrolytes for lithium ion batteries

Mechanical and thermal properties of biocomposites from nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mats with Epoxy Resin and Linear Low Density Polyethylene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel A. Hidalgo-Salazar

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this work Linear Low Density Polyethylene-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (LLDPE-Fique and Epoxy Resin-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (EP-Fique biocomposites were prepared using thermocompression and resin film infusion processes. Neat polymeric matrices and its biocomposites were tested following ASTM standards in order to evaluate tensile and flexural mechanical properties. Also, thermal behavior of these materials has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. Tensile and flexural test revealed that nonwoven Fique reinforced composites exhibited higher modulus and strength but lower deformation capability as compared with LLDPE and EP neat matrices. TG thermograms showed that nonwoven Fique fibers incorporation has an effect on the thermal stability of the composites. On the other hand, Fique fibers did not change the crystallization and melting processes of the LLDPE matrix but restricts the motion of EP macromolecules chains thus increases the Tg of the EP-Fique composite. Finally, this work opens the possibility of considering non-woven Fique fibers as a reinforcement material with a high potential for the manufacture of biocomposites for automotive applications. In addition to the processing test specimens, it was also possible to manufacture a part of LLDPE-Fique, and one part of EP-Fique. Keywords: Biocomposites, Natural materials, Nonwoven Fique fiber mat, LLDPE, Epoxy Resin

Synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial properties of novel double layer nanocomposite electrospun fibers for wound dressing applications

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Hassiba AJ

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Alaa J Hassiba,1 Mohamed E El Zowalaty,2 Thomas J Webster,3–5 Aboubakr M Abdullah,6 Gheyath K Nasrallah,7 Khalil Abdelrazek Khalil,8 Adriaan S Luyt,6 Ahmed A Elzatahry1 1Materials Science and Technology Program, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 2School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; 3Department of Chemical Engineering, 4Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 5Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Center for Advanced Materials, 7Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 8Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Abstract: Herein, novel hybrid nanomaterials were developed for wound dressing applications with antimicrobial properties. Electrospinning was used to fabricate a double layer nanocomposite nanofibrous mat consisting of an upper layer of poly(vinyl alcohol and chitosan loaded with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs and a lower layer of polyethylene oxide (PEO or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP nanofibers loaded with chlorhexidine (as an antiseptic. The top layer containing AgNPs, whose purpose was to protect the wound site against environmental germ invasion, was prepared by reducing silver nitrate to its nanoparticulate form through interaction with chitosan. The lower layer, which would be in direct contact with the injured site, contained the antibiotic drug needed to avoid wound infections which would otherwise interfere with the healing process. Initially, the upper layer was electrospun, followed sequentially by electrospinning the second layer, creating a bilayer nanofibrous mat. The morphology of the nanofibrous mats was studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, showing successful nanofiber

Fiber webs

Science.gov (United States)

Roger M. Rowell; James S. Han; Von L. Byrd

2005-01-01

Wood fibers can be used to produce a wide variety of low-density three-dimensional webs, mats, and fiber-molded products. Short wood fibers blended with long fibers can be formed into flexible fiber mats, which can be made by physical entanglement, nonwoven needling, or thermoplastic fiber melt matrix technologies. The most common types of flexible mats are carded, air...

Functional polyaniline nanofibre mats for human adipose-derived stem cell proliferation and adhesion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Rahman, Norizah; Feisst, Vaughan; Dickinson, Michelle E.; Malmström, Jenny; Dunbar, P. Rod; Travas-Sejdic, Jadranka

2013-01-01

Conductive polymer poly(aniline-co-m-aminobenzoic acid) (P(ANI-co-m-ABA)) and polyaniline (PANI) were blended with a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer, poly(L-lactic acid) and were electrospun into nanofibres to investigate their potential application as a scaffold for human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). These polymers, in both conductive and non-conductive form, were electrospun with average fibre diameters of less than 400 nm. Novel nanoindentation results obtained on the individual nanofibres revealed that the elastic moduli of the nanofibres are much higher at the surface (4–10 GPa, h max max >75 nm). The composite nanofibres showed great promise as a scaffold for hASCs as they supported the cell adhesion and proliferation. After 1 week of cell culture hASCs were well spread on the substrates with abundant focal adhesions. The electrospun mats provide the cells with comparably stiff, sub-micron sized fibres as anchoring points on a substrate of high porosity. The conductive nature of these composite nanofibres offers exciting opportunities for electrical stimulation of the cells. - Highlights: ► Polyaniline and its copolymer's nanofibres were prepared by electrospinning. ► The elastic modulus of a single polyaniline composite nanofibres were determined. ► Elastic moduli of the nanofibres are much higher at the surface than the inner core. ► The electrospun mats supported the cell adhesion and proliferation. ► The nanofibres show great promise as a scaffold for adipose derived stem cells

Oxolane-2,5-dione modified electrospun cellulose nanofibers for heavy metals adsorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephen, Musyoka; Catherine, Ngila; Brenda, Moodley; Andrew, Kindness; Leslie, Petrik; Corrine, Greyling

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Electrospun and modified cellulose nanofibers have high surface area. → Modified nanofibers showed improved adsorption of Cd and Pb from water. → Regenerated modified nanofibers had high adsorption capacity hence recyclable. - Abstract: Functionalized cellulose nanofibers have been obtained through electrospinning and modification with oxolane-2,5-dione. The application of the nanofibers for adsorption of cadmium and lead ions from model wastewater samples is presented for the first time. Physical and chemical properties of the nanofibers were characterized. Surface chemistry during preparation and functionalization was monitored using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, carbon-13 solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Brunauer Emmett and Teller. Enhanced surface area of 13.68 m 2 g -1 was recorded for the nanofibers as compared to the cellulose fibers with a surface area of 3.22 m 2 g -1 . Freundlich isotherm was found to describe the interactions better than Langmuir: K f = 1.0 and 2.91 mmol g -1 (r 2 = 0.997 and 0.988) for lead and cadmium, respectively. Regenerability of the fiber mats was investigated and the results obtained indicate sustainability in adsorption efficacy of the material.

Development of Protective Clothing against Nanoparticle Based on Electrospun Nanofibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Faccini

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the development of efficient protective clothing against nanoparticulate aerosols is presented. Nanofibrous mats of polyamide 6 (PA6 were deposited onto a nonwoven viscose substrate by electrospinning technique. The influence of electrospinning parameters, including solution concentration, viscosity, and conductivity, was studied for the production of nonwovens with controlled fiber diameter showing a size distribution ranging from 66 to 195 nm. By varying several process parameters, textiles with different thickness of the nanofiber layer and thus air permeability were obtained. A hot-press lamination process using a thermoplastic resin as glue was applied to improve the adhesion of the nanofiber layer onto the textile support. After 1500 cycles of repeated compression and torsion, the nanofiber layer was still firmly attached to the support, while mechanical damage is visible in some areas. The penetration of NaCl particles with diameter ranging from 15 to 300 nm through the electrospun textiles was found to be strongly dependent on nanofiber layer thickness. A really thin nanofiber coating provides up to 80% retention of 20 nm size particles and over 50% retention of 200 nm size nanoparticles. Increasing the thickness of the nanofiber mat, the filtration efficiency was increased to over 99% along the whole nanoparticle range. The results obtained highlight the potential of nanofibers in the development of efficient personal protective equipments against nanoparticles.

Chitin butyrate coated electrospun nylon-6 fibers for biomedical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Pant, Hem Raj; Kim, Han Joo; Bhatt, Lok Ranjan; Joshi, Mahesh Kumar; Kim, Eun Kyo; Kim, Jeong In; Abdal-hay, Abdalla; Hui, K. S.; Kim, Cheol Sang

2013-11-01

In this study, we describe the preparation and characterizations of chitin butyrate (CB) coated nylon-6 nanofibers using single-spinneret electrospinning of blends solution. The physicochemical properties of nylon-6 composite fibers with different proportions of CB to nylon-6 were determined using FE-SEM, TEM, FT-IR spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement. FE-SEM and TEM images revealed that the nylon-6 and CB were immiscible in the as-spun nanofibers, and phase separated nanofiber morphology becomes more pronounced with increasing amounts of CB. The bone formation ability of composite fibers was evaluated by incubating in biomimetic simulated body fluid. In order to assay the cytocompatibility and cell behavior on the composite scaffolds, osteoblast cells were seeded on the matrix. Results suggest that the deposition of CB layer on the surface of nylon-6 could increase its cell compatibility and bone formation ability. Therefore, as-synthesized nanocomposite fibrous mat has great potentiality in hard tissue engineering.

Properties of PET/PLA Electrospun Blends

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kevin; Cebe, Peggy

2012-02-01

Electrospun membranes were fabricated from poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, co-spun with poly(lactic acid), PLA. The PLA contained 2% of the D-isomer, which served to limit the overall degree of crystallinity. Membranes were deposited from blended solutions of PET/PLA in hexafluoroisopropanol. The PET/PLA composition ranged from 0/100, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, and 100/0. Electrospun membranes were made using either a static flat plate or a rotating wheel as the counter electrode, yielding unoriented mats or highly oriented tapes, respectively. We report on our investigation of the crystallinity, crystal perfection, and mechanical properties of these materials using differential scanning calorimetry, wide and small angle X-ray scattering, and dynamic mechanical analysis. In particular, we study the ability of one blend component (PET) to crystallize in the presence of existing crystals of the second blend component (PLA) which crystallizes first and at a lower temperature than PET.

Effect of clay content on morphology and processability of electrospun keratin/poly(lactic acid) nanofiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Isarankura Na Ayutthaya, Siriorn; Tanpichai, Supachok; Sangkhun, Weradesh; Wootthikanokkhan, Jatuphorn

2016-04-01

This research work has concerned the development of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) removal filters from biomaterials, based on keratin extracted from chicken feather waste and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) (50/50%w/w) blend. Clay (Na-montmorillonite) was also added to the blend solution prior to carrying out an electro-spinning process. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of clay content on viscosity, conductivity, and morphology of the electrospun fibers. Scanning electron micrographs showed that smooth and bead-free fibers were obtained when clay content used was below 2 pph. XRD patterns of the electrospun fibers indicated that the clay was intercalated and exfoliated within the polymers matrix. Percentage crystallinity of keratin in the blend increased after adding the clay, as evidenced from FTIR spectra and DSC thermograms. Transmission electron micrographs revealed a kind of core-shell structure with clay being predominately resided within the keratin rich shell and at the interfacial region. Filtration performance of the electrospun keratin/PLA fibers, described in terms of pressure drop and its capability of removing methylene blue, were also explored. Overall, our results demonstrated that it was possible to improve process-ability, morphology and filtration efficiency of the electrospun keratin fibers by adding a suitable amount of clay. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Versatile Production of Poly(Epsilon-Caprolactone Fibers by Electrospinning Using Benign Solvents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana Liverani

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The electrospinning technique is widely used for the fabrication of micro- and nanofibrous structures. Recent studies have focused on the use of less toxic and harmful solvents (benign solvents for electrospinning, even if those solvents usually require an accurate and longer process of optimization. The aim of the present work is to demonstrate the versatility of the use of benign solvents, like acetic acid and formic acid, for the fabrication of microfibrous and nanofibrous electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone mats. The solvent systems were also shown to be suitable for the fabrication of electrospun structures with macroporosity, as well as for the fabrication of composite electrospun mats, fabricated by the addition of bioactive glass (45S5 composition particles in the polymeric solution.

Novel meloxicam releasing electrospun polymer/ceramic reinforced biodegradable membranes for periodontal regeneration applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yar, Muhammad, E-mail: drmyar@ciitlahore.edu.pk [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Farooq, Ariba [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Shahzadi, Lubna; Khan, Abdul Samad [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Mahmood, Nasir [Department of Allied Health Sciences and Chemical Pathology, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Pakistan); Rauf, Abdul [Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Rehman, Ihtesham ur [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, The University of Sheffield, North Campus, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ (United Kingdom)

2016-07-01

Periodontal disease is associated with the destruction of periodontal tissues, along with other disorders/problems including inflammation of tissues and severe pain. This paper reports the synthesis of meloxicam (MX) immobilized biodegradable chitosan (CS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) based electrospun (e-spun) fibers and films. Electrospinning was employed to produce drug loaded fibrous mats, whereas films were generated by solvent casting method. In-vitro drug release from materials containing varying concentrations of MX revealed that the scaffolds containing higher amount of drug showed comparatively faster release. During initial first few hours fast release was noted from membranes and films; however after around 5 h sustained release was achieved. The hydrogels showed good swelling property, which is highly desired for soft tissue engineered implants. To investigate the biocompatibility of our synthesized materials, VERO cells (epithelial cells) were selected and cell culture results showed that these all materials were non-cytotoxic and also these cells were very well proliferated on these synthesized scaffolds. These properties along with the anti-inflammatory potential of our fabricated materials suggest their effective utilization in periodontital treatments. - Highlights: • NSAIDs releasing scaffolds for periodontal regeneration applications • Meloxicam immobilized biodegradable nanocomposite electrospun membranes and films • Good swelling properties • Controlled drug release • VERO cells were very well proliferated and synthesized materials were found to be non-cytotoxic.

Novel meloxicam releasing electrospun polymer/ceramic reinforced biodegradable membranes for periodontal regeneration applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yar, Muhammad; Farooq, Ariba; Shahzadi, Lubna; Khan, Abdul Samad; Mahmood, Nasir; Rauf, Abdul; Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar; Rehman, Ihtesham ur

2016-01-01

Periodontal disease is associated with the destruction of periodontal tissues, along with other disorders/problems including inflammation of tissues and severe pain. This paper reports the synthesis of meloxicam (MX) immobilized biodegradable chitosan (CS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) based electrospun (e-spun) fibers and films. Electrospinning was employed to produce drug loaded fibrous mats, whereas films were generated by solvent casting method. In-vitro drug release from materials containing varying concentrations of MX revealed that the scaffolds containing higher amount of drug showed comparatively faster release. During initial first few hours fast release was noted from membranes and films; however after around 5 h sustained release was achieved. The hydrogels showed good swelling property, which is highly desired for soft tissue engineered implants. To investigate the biocompatibility of our synthesized materials, VERO cells (epithelial cells) were selected and cell culture results showed that these all materials were non-cytotoxic and also these cells were very well proliferated on these synthesized scaffolds. These properties along with the anti-inflammatory potential of our fabricated materials suggest their effective utilization in periodontital treatments. - Highlights: • NSAIDs releasing scaffolds for periodontal regeneration applications • Meloxicam immobilized biodegradable nanocomposite electrospun membranes and films • Good swelling properties • Controlled drug release • VERO cells were very well proliferated and synthesized materials were found to be non-cytotoxic.

Electrospun Superhydrophobic Self-Cleaning Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yong; Wang, Nü

In this chapter, we introduce the wettability of electrospinning products. Especially, we concentrate on the fabrication, characteristics, and applications of the electrospun self-cleaning materials. Self-cleaning materials are typical nature-inspired artificial materials learning from such as lotus leaf and many other plants or animals. Self-cleaning materials usually rely on a superhydrophobic surface, which should be of low surface free energy as well as large surface roughness. Electrospinning method is such a method that could facilely shape various hydrophobic polymers into ultrathin fibers with tunable surface microstructures. It means the electrospun products are of very large specific area, which satisfy the two basic conditions in preparing superhydrophobic surfaces. Therefore, in the last decade, scientists put forward a good few of elegant approaches to fabricate superhydrophobic materials by electrospinning. These methods can be generally classified into two routes. One is a direct route that creates superhydrophobic electrospun films from hydrophobic materials. Another is an indirect route that decorates electrospun nanofibers (no matter hydrophobic or hydrophilic) with hydrophobic chemicals. We first introduce some representative works on the fabrication of superhydrophobic self-cleaning materials by electrospinning method. Then we show some applications of these superhydrophobic materials. Finally, we give a brief personal perspective on this area.

Functional polyaniline nanofibre mats for human adipose-derived stem cell proliferation and adhesion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdul Rahman, Norizah, E-mail: norizah@science.putra.edu.my [Polymer Electronics Research Centre, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Department of Chemistry, University of Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan (Malaysia); Feisst, Vaughan [School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Dickinson, Michelle E. [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Malmström, Jenny [Polymer Electronics Research Centre, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Dunbar, P. Rod [School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Maurice Wilkins Centre, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Travas-Sejdic, Jadranka, E-mail: j.travas-sejdic@auckland.ac.nz [Polymer Electronics Research Centre, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140 (New Zealand)

2013-02-15

Conductive polymer poly(aniline-co-m-aminobenzoic acid) (P(ANI-co-m-ABA)) and polyaniline (PANI) were blended with a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer, poly(L-lactic acid) and were electrospun into nanofibres to investigate their potential application as a scaffold for human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). These polymers, in both conductive and non-conductive form, were electrospun with average fibre diameters of less than 400 nm. Novel nanoindentation results obtained on the individual nanofibres revealed that the elastic moduli of the nanofibres are much higher at the surface (4–10 GPa, h{sub max} <75 nm) than in the inner fibre core (2–4 GPa, h{sub max} >75 nm). The composite nanofibres showed great promise as a scaffold for hASCs as they supported the cell adhesion and proliferation. After 1 week of cell culture hASCs were well spread on the substrates with abundant focal adhesions. The electrospun mats provide the cells with comparably stiff, sub-micron sized fibres as anchoring points on a substrate of high porosity. The conductive nature of these composite nanofibres offers exciting opportunities for electrical stimulation of the cells. - Highlights: ► Polyaniline and its copolymer's nanofibres were prepared by electrospinning. ► The elastic modulus of a single polyaniline composite nanofibres were determined. ► Elastic moduli of the nanofibres are much higher at the surface than the inner core. ► The electrospun mats supported the cell adhesion and proliferation. ► The nanofibres show great promise as a scaffold for adipose derived stem cells.

Photocatalytic Cellulosic Electrospun Fibers for the Degradation of Potent Cyanobacteria Toxin Microcystin-LR

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

visible light activated or UV light activated), the surface area of the fiber mat, and loading solution pH all have an effect on the distribution of...photocatalysis with nanoparticles (such as titania, TiO2 ) show tremendous promise as a simple and energy efficient tech- nology for water purification and...LR (MC-LR). MC- LR is one of the most commonly found cyanobacteria toxins generated by the more frequently occurring cyanobacteria algae blooms in

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma-Electrospin Hybrid Process for Protective Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Vitchuli Gangadharan, Narendiran

2011-12-01

Chemical and biological (C-B) warfare agents like sarin, sulfur mustard, anthrax are usually dispersed into atmosphere in the form of micro aerosols. They are considered to be dangerous weapon of mass destruction next to nuclear weapons. The airtight protective clothing materials currently available are able to stop the diffusion of threat agents but not good enough to detoxify them, which endangers the wearers. Extensive research efforts are being made to prepare advanced protective clothing materials that not only prevent the diffusion of C-B agents, but also detoxify them into harmless products thus ensuring the safety and comfort of the wearer. Electrospun nanofiber mats are considered to have effective filtration characteristics to stop the diffusion of submicron level particulates without sacrificing air permeability characteristics and could be used in protective application as barrier material. In addition, functional nanofibers could be potentially developed to detoxify the C-B warfare threats into harmless products. In this research, electrospun nanofibers were deposited on fabric surface to improve barrier efficiency without sacrificing comfort-related properties of the fabrics. Multi-functional nanofibers were fabricated through an electrospinning-electrospraying hybrid process and their ability to detoxify simulants of C-B agents was evaluated. Nanofibers were also deposited onto plasma-pretreated woven fabric substrate through a newly developed plasma-electrospinning hybrid process, to improve the adhesive properties of nanofibers on the fabric surface. The nanofiber adhesion and durability properties were evaluated by peel test, flex and abrasion resistance tests. In this research work, following tasks have been carried out: i) Controlled deposition of nanofiber mat onto woven fabric substrate Electrospun Nylon 6 fiber mats were deposited onto woven 50/50 Nylon/Cotton fabric with the motive of making them into protective material against submicron

Carbon Microfibers with Hierarchical Porous Structure from Electrospun Fiber-Like Natural Biopolymer

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Yeru; Wu, Dingcai; Fu, Ruowen

2013-01-01

Electrospinning offers a powerful route for building one-dimensional (1D) micro/nanostructures, but a common requirement for toxic or corrosive organic solvents during the preparation of precursor solution has limited their large scale synthesis and broad applications. Here we report a facile and low-cost way to prepare 1D porous carbon microfibers by using an electrospun fiber-like natural product, i.e., silk cocoon, as precursor. We surprisingly found that by utilizing a simple carbonization treatment, the cocoon microfiber can be directly transformed into 1D carbon microfiber of ca. 6 μm diameter with a unique three-dimensional porous network structure composed of interconnected carbon nanoparticles of 10~40 nm diameter. We further showed that the as-prepared carbon product presents superior electrochemical performance as binder-free electrodes of supercapacitors and good adsorption property toward organic vapor.

Light-induced antibacterial activity of electrospun chitosan-based material containing photosensitizer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Severyukhina, A.N., E-mail: severyuhina_alexandra@mail.ru [Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Petrova, N.V.; Yashchenok, A.M. [Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Bratashov, D.N. [Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Department of Nano- and Biomedical Technologies, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Smuda, K. [Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Mamonova, I.A. [Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, 410002 Saratov (Russian Federation); Yurasov, N.A. [Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Puchinyan, D.M. [Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, 410002 Saratov (Russian Federation); Georgieva, R. [Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Department of Medical Physics, Biophysics and Radiology, Medical Faculty, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora (Bulgaria); Bäumler, H. [Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Lapanje, A. [Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Josef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Gorin, D.A. [Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation); Department of Nano- and Biomedical Technologies, Saratov State University, 410012 Saratov (Russian Federation)

2017-01-01

Increasing antimicrobial resistance requires the development of novel materials and approaches for treatment of various infections. Utilization of photodynamic therapy represents an advanced alternative to antibiotics and metal-based agents. Here, we report the fabrication of electrospun material that possesses benefits of both topical antimicrobial and photodynamic therapies. This material combines chitosan, as a biocompatible polymer, and a second generation photosensitizer. The incorporation of photosensitizer doesn't affect the material morphology and its nearly uniform distribution in fibers structure was observed by confocal Raman microscopy. Owing to photosensitizer the prepared material exhibits the light-induced and spatially limited antimicrobial activity that was demonstrated against Staphylococcus aureus, an important etiological infectious agent. Such material can be potentially used in antibacterial therapy of chronic wounds, infections of diabetic ulcers, and burns, as well as rapidly spreading and intractable soft-tissue infections caused by resistant bacteria. - Highlights: • Chitosan with a phthalocyanine photosensitizer was electrospun into fibers. • Photosensitizer was uniformly distributed in the electrospun material. • The incorporation of photosensitizer does not affect the fiber morphology. • Chitosan/photosensitizer composites possess light-induced antibacterial activity. • The antibacterial activity of the material is limited to the area of irradiation.

A novel coaxial nozzle for in-process adjustment of electrospun scaffolds’ fiber diameter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Becker A.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Electrospinning is a versatile method of producing micro- and nanofibers deposited in mats used as scaffolds for tissue engineering. Depending on the application, single or coaxial electrospinning can be used. Coaxial electrospinning enables the use of a broad spectrum of materials, the fabrication of hollow or core/shell fibers and an automatisation of the entire electrospinning process. In this regard, the design of coaxial nozzles plays a major role in a standardized as well as tailor-made scaffold fabrication. For this purpose an optimised coaxial nozzle has been designed and fabricated. Furthermore, tests have been carried out to validate the new nozzle design. With the use of the costum-made nozzle polymer concentration could be varied in a gradual manner. The variation in polymer concentration lead to fiber diameters between 0.75 to 3.25 μm. In addition, an increase in rotating velocity lead to an increase in fiber alignment as well as a slight decrease in fiber diameter. The demonstrated modifications of coaxial electrospinning proved to be a powerful tool for in-process adjustments of scaffold fabrication.

Electrospinning of PVC with natural rubber

Science.gov (United States)

Othman, Muhammad Hariz; Mohamed, Mahathir; Abdullah, Ibrahim

2013-11-01

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was mixed with natural rubbers which are liquid natural rubber (LNR), liquid epoxidised natural rubber (LENR) and liquid epoxidised natural rubber acrylate (LENRA) for a preparation of a fine non-woven fiber's mat. PVC and each natural rubbers(PVC:LENR, PVC:LNR and PVC:LENRA) were mixed based on ratio of 70:30. Electrospinning method was used to prepare the fiber. The results show that the spinnable concentration of PVC/ natural rubber/THF solution is 16 wt%. The morphology, diameter, structure and degradation temperature of electrospun fibers were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM photos showed that the morphology and diameter of the fibers were mainly affected by the addition of natural rubber. TGA results suggested that PVC electrospun fiber has higher degradation temperature than those electrospun fibers that contain natural rubber.

Forensic identification of trunk mat by trace element analysis of single fiber with laser ablation ICP-MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiroma, Yuki; Nakai, Izumi; Hokura, Akiko

2010-01-01

The application of LA-ICP-MS (laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) to the chemical characterization of single trunk mat fibers made of PET was investigated in order to establish a forensic analytical method for the discrimination of samples of different origins. The analytical conditions of LA-ICP-MS equipped with a 213 nm Nd : YAG laser were optimized to analyze trace elements, such as Cu, Sb, and Ba at ppm levels. A total of 31 samples produced by 7 car manufactures in Japan were used for analysis. The concentrations of Li, Mg, Al, P, Ca, Ti, Co, Cu, Ge, Nb, Sb, Ta, and Pb were successfully measured from a single fiber sample with a diameter of ca. 20 μm. It was possible to discriminate all 31 samples based on the analytical results of a single fiber by LA-ICP-MS combined with those of FT-IR and SEM-EDS. LA-ICP-MS has good analytical sensitivity, and requires a much shorter preparation time and a smaller sample size than any other conventional element analysis methods. This paper demonstrates for the first time that this method is practically useful as a powerful tool for the forensic identification of a single trunk mat fiber. (author)

MWCNTs/P(St-co-GMA) composite nanofibers of engineered interface chemistry for epoxy matrix nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Özden-Yenigün, Elif; Menceloğlu, Yusuf Z; Papila, Melih

2012-02-01

Strengthened nanofiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composites are demonstrated by engineering composite electrospun fibers of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and reactive P(St-co-GMA). MWCNTs are incorporated into surface-modified, reactive P(St-co-GMA) nanofibers by electrospinning; functionalization of these MWCNT/P(St-co-GMA) composite nanofibers with epoxide moieties facilitates bonding at the interface of the cross-linked fibers and the epoxy matrix, effectively reinforcing and toughening the epoxy resin. Rheological properties are determined and thermodynamic stabilization is demonstrated for MWCNTs in the P(St-co-GMA)-DMF polymer solution. Homogeneity and uniformity of the fiber formation within the electrospun mats are achieved at polymer concentration of 30 wt %. Results show that the MWCNT fraction decreases the polymer solution viscosity, yielding a narrower fiber diameter. The fiber diameter drops from an average of 630 nm to 460 nm, as the MWCNTs wt fraction (1, 1.5, and 2%) is increased. The electrospun nanofibers of the MWCNTs/P(St-co-GMA) composite are also embedded into an epoxy resin to investigate their reinforcing abilities. A significant increase in the mechanical response is observed, up to >20% in flexural modulus, when compared to neat epoxy, despite a very low composite fiber weight fraction (at about 0.2% by a single-layer fibrous mat). The increase is attributed to the combined effect of the two factors the inherent strength of the well-dispersed MWCNTs and the surface chemistry of the electrospun fibers that have been modified with epoxide to enable cross-linking between the polymer matrix and the nanofibers.

Oral fast-dissolving drug delivery membranes prepared from electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone ultrafine fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Dengguang; Shen Xiaxia; Zhu Limin; Branford-White, Chris; White, Kenneth; Annie Bligh, S W

2009-01-01

Oral fast-dissolving drug delivery membranes (FDMs) for poorly water-soluble drugs were prepared via electrospinning technology with ibuprofen as the model drug and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K30 as the filament-forming polymer and drug carrier. Results from differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, and morphological observations demonstrated that ibuprofen was distributed in the ultrafine fibers in the form of nanosolid dispersions and the physical status of drug was an amorphous or molecular form, different from that of the pure drug and a physical mixture of PVP and ibuprofen. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results illustrated that the main interactions between PVP and ibuprofen were mediated through hydrogen bonding. Pharmacotechnical tests showed that FDMs with different drug contents had almost the same wetting and disintegrating times, about 15 and 8 s, respectively, but significantly different drug dissolution rates due to the different physical status of the drug and the different drug-release-controlled mechanisms. 84.9% and 58.7% of ibuprofen was released in the first 20 s for FDMs with a drug-to-PVP ratio of 1:4 and 1:2, respectively. Electrospun ultrafine fibers have the potential to be used as solid dispersions to improve the dissolution profiles of poorly water-soluble drugs or as oral fast disintegrating drug delivery systems.

Stem cell responses to plasma surface modified electrospun polyurethane scaffolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Zandén, Carl; Hellström Erkenstam, Nina; Padel, Thomas; Wittgenstein, Julia; Liu, Johan; Kuhn, H Georg

2014-07-01

The topographical effects from functional materials on stem cell behavior are currently of interest in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Here we investigate the influence of argon, oxygen, and hydrogen plasma surface modification of electrospun polyurethane fibers on human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and rat postnatal neural stem cell (NSC) responses. The plasma gases were found to induce three combinations of fiber surface functionalities and roughness textures. On randomly oriented fibers, plasma treatments lead to substantially increased hESC attachment and proliferation as compared to native fibers. Argon plasma was found to induce the most optimal combination of surface functionality and roughness for cell expansion. Contact guided migration of cells and alignment of cell processes were observed on aligned fibers. Neuronal differentiation around 5% was found for all samples and was not significantly affected by the induced variations of surface functional group distribution or individual fiber topography. In this study the influence of argon, oxygen, and hydrogen plasma surface modification of electrospun polyurethane fibers on human embryonic stem cell and rat postnatal neural stem cell (NSC) responses is studied with the goal of clarifying the potential effects of functional materials on stem cell behavior, a topic of substantial interest in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrospun PVA/HAp nanocomposite nanofibers: biomimetics of mineralized hard tissues at a lower level of complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Gyeong-Man; Asran, Ashraf Sh; Michler, Georg H; Simon, Paul; Kim, Jeong-Sook

2008-12-01

Based on the biomimetic approaches the present work describes a straightforward technique to mimic not only the architecture (the morphology) but also the chemistry (the composition) of the lowest level of the hierarchical organization of bone. This technique uses an electrospinning (ES) process with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles. To determine morphology, crystalline structures and thermal properties of the resulting electrospun fibers with the pure PVA and PVA/HAp nanocomposite (NC) before electrospinning various techniques were employed, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, FT-IR spectroscopy was carried out to analyze the complex structural changes upon undergoing electrospinning as well as interactions between HAp and PVA. The morphological and crystallographic investigations revealed that the rod-like HAp nanoparticles exhibit a nanoporous morphology and are embedded within the electrospun fibers. A large number of HAp nanorods are preferentially oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electrospun PVA fibers, which closely resemble the naturally mineralized hard tissues of bones. Due to abundant OH groups present in PVA and HAp nanorods, they strongly interact via hydrogen bonding within the electrospun PVA/HAp NC fibers, which results in improved thermal properties. The unique physiochemical features of the electrospun PVA/HAp NC nanofibers prepared by the ES process will open up a wide variety of future applications related to hard tissue replacement and regeneration (bone and dentin), not limited to coating implants.

Electrospun PVA/HAp nanocomposite nanofibers: biomimetics of mineralized hard tissues at a lower level of complexity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Gyeong-Man; Asran, Ashraf Sh; Michler, Georg H [Institute of Physics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06099 Halle/S (Germany); Simon, Paul [Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Noethnitzer Strasse 40, D-01187 Dresden (Germany); Kim, Jeong-Sook [Department of Dental Technology, Daegu Health College, 702-722 Daegu (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: gyeong.kim@physik.uni-halle.de

2008-12-01

Based on the biomimetic approaches the present work describes a straightforward technique to mimic not only the architecture (the morphology) but also the chemistry (the composition) of the lowest level of the hierarchical organization of bone. This technique uses an electrospinning (ES) process with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles. To determine morphology, crystalline structures and thermal properties of the resulting electrospun fibers with the pure PVA and PVA/HAp nanocomposite (NC) before electrospinning various techniques were employed, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, FT-IR spectroscopy was carried out to analyze the complex structural changes upon undergoing electrospinning as well as interactions between HAp and PVA. The morphological and crystallographic investigations revealed that the rod-like HAp nanoparticles exhibit a nanoporous morphology and are embedded within the electrospun fibers. A large number of HAp nanorods are preferentially oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electrospun PVA fibers, which closely resemble the naturally mineralized hard tissues of bones. Due to abundant OH groups present in PVA and HAp nanorods, they strongly interact via hydrogen bonding within the electrospun PVA/HAp NC fibers, which results in improved thermal properties. The unique physiochemical features of the electrospun PVA/HAp NC nanofibers prepared by the ES process will open up a wide variety of future applications related to hard tissue replacement and regeneration (bone and dentin), not limited to coating implants.

Electrospinning of PVC with natural rubber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Othman, Muhammad Hariz; Abdullah, Ibrahim; Mohamed, Mahathir

2013-01-01

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was mixed with natural rubbers which are liquid natural rubber (LNR), liquid epoxidised natural rubber (LENR) and liquid epoxidised natural rubber acrylate (LENRA) for a preparation of a fine non-woven fiber’s mat. PVC and each natural rubbers(PVC:LENR, PVC:LNR and PVC:LENRA) were mixed based on ratio of 70:30. Electrospinning method was used to prepare the fiber. The results show that the spinnable concentration of PVC/ natural rubber/THF solution is 16 wt%. The morphology, diameter, structure and degradation temperature of electrospun fibers were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM photos showed that the morphology and diameter of the fibers were mainly affected by the addition of natural rubber. TGA results suggested that PVC electrospun fiber has higher degradation temperature than those electrospun fibers that contain natural rubber

Electrospinning of PVC with natural rubber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Othman, Muhammad Hariz; Abdullah, Ibrahim [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Mohamed, Mahathir [Radiation Processing Technology Division (BTS), Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, 43000, Kajang (Malaysia)

2013-11-27

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was mixed with natural rubbers which are liquid natural rubber (LNR), liquid epoxidised natural rubber (LENR) and liquid epoxidised natural rubber acrylate (LENRA) for a preparation of a fine non-woven fiber’s mat. PVC and each natural rubbers(PVC:LENR, PVC:LNR and PVC:LENRA) were mixed based on ratio of 70:30. Electrospinning method was used to prepare the fiber. The results show that the spinnable concentration of PVC/ natural rubber/THF solution is 16 wt%. The morphology, diameter, structure and degradation temperature of electrospun fibers were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM photos showed that the morphology and diameter of the fibers were mainly affected by the addition of natural rubber. TGA results suggested that PVC electrospun fiber has higher degradation temperature than those electrospun fibers that contain natural rubber.

Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Semiconductor Nanoparticle—Polyelectrolyte Ultra-Fine Fiber Composites for Sensing Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline L. Schauer

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Fluorescent composite fibrous assembles of nanoparticle-polyelectrolyte fibers are useful multifunctional materials, utilized in filtration, sensing and tissue engineering applications, with the added benefits of improved mechanical, electrical or structural characteristics over the individual components. Composite fibrous mats were prepared by electrospinning aqueous solutions of 6 wt% poly(acrylic acid (PAA loaded with 0.15 and 0.20% v/v, carboxyl functionalized CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles (SNPs. The resulting fluorescent composite fibrous mats exhibits recoverable quenching when exposed to high humidity. The sensor response is sensitive to water concentration and is attributed to the change in the local charges around the SNPs due to deprotonation of the carboxylic acids on the SNPs and the surrounding polymer matrix.

Hydrogen storage evaluation based on investigations of the catalytic properties of metal/metal oxides in electrospun carbon fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Im, Ji Sun; Lee, Young-Seak [Department of Fine Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea); Park, Soo-Jin [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, Incheon 402-751 (Korea); Kim, Taejin [Core Technology Research Center for Fuel Cell, Jeollabuk-do 561-844 (Korea)

2009-05-15

In order to investigate the catalytic capacity of metals and metal oxides based on electrospun carbon fibers for improving hydrogen storage, electrospinning and heat treatments were carried out to obtain metal/metal oxide-embedded carbon fibers. Although the fibers were treated with the same activation procedure, they had different pore structures, due to the nature of the metal oxide. When comparing the catalytic capacity of metal and metal oxide, metal exhibits better performance as a catalyst for the improvement of hydrogen storage, when considering the hydrogen storage system. When a metal oxide with an m.p. lower than the temperature of heat treatment was used, the metal oxide was changed to metal during the heat treatment, developing a micropore structure. The activation process produced a high specific surface area of up to 2900 m{sup 2}/g and a pore volume of up to 2.5 cc/g. The amount of hydrogen adsorption reached approximately 3 wt% at 100 bar and room temperature. (author)

Hierarchical Chitin Fibers with Aligned Nanofibrillar Architectures: A Nonwoven-Mat Separator for Lithium Metal Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Joong-Kwon; Kim, Do Hyeong; Joo, Se Hun; Choi, Byeongwook; Cha, Aming; Kim, Kwang Min; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk; Kwak, Sang Kyu; Kang, Seok Ju; Jin, Jungho

2017-06-27

Here, we introduce regenerated fibers of chitin (Chiber), the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose, and propose its utility as a nonwoven fiber separator for lithium metal batteries (LMBs) that exhibits an excellent electrolyte-uptaking capability and Li-dendrite-mitigating performance. Chiber is produced by a centrifugal jet-spinning technique, which allows a simple and fast production of Chibers consisting of hierarchically aligned self-assembled chitin nanofibers. Following the scrutinization on the Chiber-Li-ion interaction via computational methods, we demonstrate the potential of Chiber as a nonwoven mat-type separator by monitoring it in Li-O 2 and Na-O 2 cells.

Analysis of the Comprehensive Tensile Relationship in Electrospun Silk Fibroin/Polycaprolactone Nanofiber Membranes.

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Yin, Yunlei; Pu, Dandan; Xiong, Jie

2017-12-07

The mechanical properties of electrospun nanofiber membranes are critical for their applications. A clear understanding of the mechanical properties that result from the characteristics of the individual fiber and membrane microstructure is vital in the design of fiber composites. In this reported study, silk fibroin (SF)/polycaprolactone (PCL) composite nanofiber membranes were preparedusing an electrostatic spinning technology. The nanofiber orientation distribution (FOD) of the membrane was analyzed using multi-layer image fusion technology, and the results indicated the presence of an approximately uniform distribution of fibers in the electrospun membranes. The relationship between the single nanofiber and the membrane was established by analyzing the geometrical structure of the cell by employing a representative volume element (RVE) analysis method. The mechanical properties of the 272 nm diameter SF/PCL composite fibers were then predicted using the developed model.

Preformulation Studies of Furosemide-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibrous Systems for Buccal Administration

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Andrea Kovács

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Furosemide loaded electrospun fibers were prepared for buccal administration, with the aim of improving the oral bioavailability of the poorly soluble and permeable crystalline drug, which can be achieved by the increased solubility and by the circumvention of the intensive first pass metabolism. The water soluble hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC was chosen as a mucoadhesive polymer. In order to improve the electrospinnability of HPC, poly (vinylpyrrolidone (PVP was used. During the experiments, the total polymer concentration was kept constant at 15% (w/w, and only the ratio of the two polymers (HPC-PVP = 5:5, 6:4, 7:3, 8:2, 9:1 was changed. A combination of rheological measurements with scanning electron microscopic morphological images of electrospun samples was applied for the determination of the optimum composition of the gels for fiber formation. The crystalline–amorphous transition of furosemide was tracked by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A correlation was found between the rheological properties of the polymer solutions and their electrospinnability, and the consequent morphology of the resultant samples. With decreasing HPC ratio of the system, a transition from the spray-dried droplets to the randomly oriented fibrous structures was observed. The results enable the determination of the polymer ratio for the formation of applicable quality of electrospun fibers.

Tuning the conductivity and inner structure of electrospun fibers to promote cardiomyocyte elongation and synchronous beating.

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Liu, Yaowen; Lu, Jinfu; Xu, Guisen; Wei, Jiaojun; Zhang, Zhibin; Li, Xiaohong

2016-12-01

The key to addressing the challenges facing cardiac tissue engineering is the integration of physical, chemical, and electrical cues into scaffolds. Aligned and conductive scaffolds have been fabricated as synthetic microenvironments to improve the function of cardiomyocytes. However, up to now, the influence of conductive capability and inner structure of fibrous scaffolds have not been determined on the cardiomyocyte morphologies and beating patterns. In the current study, highly aligned fibers were fabricated with loaded up to 6% of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to modulate the electrical conductivity, while blend and coaxial electrospinning were utilized to create a bulk distribution of CNTs in fiber matrices and a spatial embedment in fiber cores, respectively. Conductive networks were formed in the fibrous scaffolds after the inoculation of over 3% CNTs, and the increase in the conductivity could maintain the cell viabilities, induce the cell elongation, enhance the production of sarcomeric α-actinin and troponin I, and promote the synchronous beating of cardiomyocytes. Although the conductivity of blend fibers is slightly higher than that of coaxial fibers with the same CNT loadings, the lower exposures to CNTs resulted in higher cell viability, elongation, extracellular matrix secretion and beating rates for cardiomyocytes on coaxial fibers. Taken altogether, core-sheath fibers with loaded 5% of CNTs in the fiber cores facilitated the cardiomyocyte growth with a production of organized contractile proteins and a pulsation frequency close to that of the atrium. It is suggested that electrospun scaffolds that couple conductivity and fibrous structure considerations may provide optimal stimuli to foster cell morphology and functions for myocardial regeneration or establishment of in vitro cardiomyocyte culture platform for drug screening. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Constitutive modeling of an electrospun tubular scaffold used for vascular tissue engineering.

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Hu, Jin-Jia

2015-08-01

In this study, we sought to model the mechanical behavior of an electrospun tubular scaffold previously reported for vascular tissue engineering with hyperelastic constitutive equations. Specifically, the scaffolds were made by wrapping electrospun polycaprolactone membranes that contain aligned fibers around a mandrel in such a way that they have microstructure similar to the native arterial media. The biaxial stress-stretch data of the scaffolds made of moderately or highly aligned fibers with three different off-axis fiber angles α (30°, 45°, and 60°) were fit by a phenomenological Fung model and a series of structurally motivated models considering fiber directions and fiber angle distributions. In particular, two forms of fiber strain energy in the structurally motivated model for a linear and a nonlinear fiber stress-strain relation, respectively, were tested. An isotropic neo-Hookean strain energy function was also added to the structurally motivated models to examine its contribution. The two forms of fiber strain energy did not result in significantly different goodness of fit for most groups of the scaffolds. The absence of the neo-Hookean term in the structurally motivated model led to obvious nonlinear stress-stretch fits at a greater axial stretch, especially when fitting data from the scaffolds with a small α. Of the models considered, the Fung model had the overall best fitting results; its applications are limited because of its phenomenological nature. Although a structurally motivated model using the nonlinear fiber stress-strain relation with the neo-Hookean term provided fits comparably as good as the Fung model, the values of its model parameters exhibited large within-group variations. Prescribing the dispersion of fiber orientation in the structurally motivated model, however, reduced the variations without compromising the fits and was thus considered to be the best structurally motivated model for the scaffolds. It appeared that the

Protein and Bacterial Antifouling Behavior of Melt-Coextruded Nanofiber Mats.

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Kim, Si-Eun; Zhang, Cong; Advincula, Abigail A; Baer, Eric; Pokorski, Jonathan K

2016-04-13

Antifouling surfaces are important for biomedical devices to prevent secondary infections and mitigate the effects of the foreign body response. Herein, we describe melt-coextruded poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofiber mats grafted with antifouling polymers. Nonwoven PCL fiber mats are produced using a multilayered melt coextrusion process followed by high-pressure hydroentanglement to yield porous patches. The resulting fiber mats show submicrometer cross-sectional fiber dimensions and yield pore sizes that were nearly uniform, with a mean pore size of 1.6 ± 0.9 μm. Several antifouling polymers, including hydrophilic, zwitterionic, and amphipathic molecules, are grafted to the surface of the mats using a two-step procedure that includes photochemistry followed by the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. Fiber mats are evaluated using separate adsorption tests for serum proteins and E. coli. The results indicate that poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)-co-(trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (poly(OEGMEMA-co-TFEMA)) grafted mats exhibit approximately 85% less protein adhesion and 97% less E. coli adsorption when compared to unmodified PCL fibermats. In dynamic antifouling testing, the amphiphilic fluorous polymer surface shows the highest flux and highest rejection value of foulants. The work presented within has implications on the high-throughput production of antifouling microporous patches for medical applications.

FTY720-loaded poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) electrospun scaffold significantly increases microvessel density over 7 days in streptozotocin-induced diabetic C57b16/J mice: preliminary results.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowers, D T; Chhabra, P; Langman, L; Botchwey, E A; Brayman, K L

2011-11-01

Nanofiber scaffolds could improve islet transplant success by physically mimicking the shape of extracellular matrix and by acting as a drug-delivery vehicle. Scaffolds implanted in alternate transplant sites must be prevascularized or very quickly vascularized following transplantation to prevent hypoxia-induced islet necrosis. The local release of the S1P prodrug FTY720 induces diameter enlargement and increases in length density. The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate length and diameter differences between diabetic and nondiabetic animals implanted with FTY720-containing electrospun scaffolds using intravital imaging of dorsal skinfold window chambers. Electrospun mats of randomly oriented fibers we created from polymer solutions of PLAGA (50:50 LA:GA) with and without FTY720 loaded at a ratio of 1:200 (FTY720:PLAGA by wt). The implanted fiber mats were 4 mm in diameter and ∼0.2 mm thick. Increases in length density and vessel diameter were assessed by automated analysis of images over 7 days in RAVE, a Matlab program. Image analysis of repeated measures of microvessel metrics demonstrated a significant increase in the length density from day 0 to day 7 in the moderately diabetic animals of this preliminary study (P < .05). Furthermore, significant differences in length density at day 0 and day 3 were found between recently STZ-induced moderately diabetic and nondiabetic animals in response to FTY720 local release (P < .05, Student t test). Driving the islet revascularization process using local release of factors, such as FTY720, from biodegradable polymers makes an attractive system for the improvement of islet transplant success. Preliminary study results suggest that a recently induced moderately diabetic state may potentiate the mechanism by which local release of FTY720 from polymer fibers increases length density of microvessels. Therefore, local release of S1P receptor-targeted drugs is under further investigation for improvement of

Fabrication and characterization of dual-functional ultrafine composite fibers with phase-change energy storage and luminescence properties.

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Xi, Peng; Zhao, Tianxiang; Xia, Lei; Shu, Dengkun; Ma, Menjiao; Cheng, Bowen

2017-01-09

Ultrafine composite fibers consisting of a thermoplastic polyurethane solid-solid phase-change material and organic lanthanide luminescent materials were prepared through a parallel electrospinning technique as an innovative type of ultrafine, dual-functional fibers containing phase-change and luminescent properties. The morphology and structure, thermal energy storage, and luminescent properties of parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers possessed the desired morphologies with smaller average fiber diameters than those of traditional mixed electrospun ultrafine fibers. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that the parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers were composed of two parts. Polymeric phase-change materials, which can be directly produced and spun, were used to provide temperature stability, while a mixture of polymethyl methacrylate and an organic lanthanide complex acted as the luminescent unit. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and luminescence measurements indicated that the unique structure of the parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers provides the products with good thermal energy storage and luminescence properties. The fluorescence intensity and the phase-change enthalpy values of the ultrafine fibers prepared by parallel electrospinning were respectively 1.6 and 2.1 times those of ultrafine fibers prepared by mixed electrospinning.

Electrospun nanofibers for energy and environmental applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Bin; Yu, Jianyong (eds.) [Donghua Univ., Shanghai (China). State Key Lab. for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials; Donghua Univ., Shanghai (China). Nanomaterials Research Center

2014-10-01

This book offers a comprehensive review of the latest advances in developing functional electrospun nanofibers for energy and environmental applications, which include fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, solar cells, supercapacitors, energy storage materials, sensors, filtration materials, protective clothing, catalysis, structurally-colored fibers, oil spill cleanup, self-cleaning materials, adsorbents, and electromagnetic shielding.

Electrospun Poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) Scaffolds for Skin Tissue Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Kumbar, Sangamesh G.; Nukavarapu, Syam Prasad; James, Roshan; Nair, Lakshmi S.; Laurencin, Cato T.

2008-01-01

Electrospun fiber matrices composed of scaffolds of varying fiber diameters were investigated for potential application of severe skin loss. Few systematic studies have been performed to examine the effect of varying fiber diameter electrospun fiber matrices for skin regeneration. The present study reports the fabrication of poly[lactic acid-co-glycolic acid] (PLAGA) matrices with fiber diameters of 150–225, 200–300, 250–467, 500–900, 600–1200, 2500–3000 and 3250–6000 nm via electrospinning. All fiber matrices found to have a tensile modulus from 39.23 ± 8.15 to 79.21 ± 13.71 MPa which falls in the range for normal human skin. Further, the porous fiber matrices have porosity between 38–60 % and average pore diameters between 10–14µm. We evaluated the efficacy of these biodegradable fiber matrices as skin substitutes by seeding them with human skin fibroblasts (hSF). Human skin fibroblasts acquired a well spread morphology and showed significant progressive growth on fiber matrices in the 350–1100 nm diameter range. Collagen type III gene expression was significantly up-regulated in hSF seeded on matrices with fiber diameters in the range of 350–1100 nm. Based on the need, the proposed fiber skin substitutes can be successfully fabricated and optimized for skin fibroblast attachment and growth. PMID:18639927

Mechanical and thermal properties of biocomposites from nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mats with Epoxy Resin and Linear Low Density Polyethylene

Science.gov (United States)

Hidalgo-Salazar, Miguel A.; Correa, Juan P.

2018-03-01

In this work Linear Low Density Polyethylene-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (LLDPE-Fique) and Epoxy Resin-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (EP-Fique) biocomposites were prepared using thermocompression and resin film infusion processes. Neat polymeric matrices and its biocomposites were tested following ASTM standards in order to evaluate tensile and flexural mechanical properties. Also, thermal behavior of these materials has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Tensile and flexural test revealed that nonwoven Fique reinforced composites exhibited higher modulus and strength but lower deformation capability as compared with LLDPE and EP neat matrices. TG thermograms showed that nonwoven Fique fibers incorporation has an effect on the thermal stability of the composites. On the other hand, Fique fibers did not change the crystallization and melting processes of the LLDPE matrix but restricts the motion of EP macromolecules chains thus increases the Tg of the EP-Fique composite. Finally, this work opens the possibility of considering non-woven Fique fibers as a reinforcement material with a high potential for the manufacture of biocomposites for automotive applications. In addition to the processing test specimens, it was also possible to manufacture a part of LLDPE-Fique, and one part of EP-Fique.

Preparation and characterization of kefiran electrospun nanofibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Esnaashari, Seyedeh Sara; Rezaei, Sasan; Mirzaei, Esmaeil; Afshari, Hamed; Rezayat, Seyed Mahdi; Faridi-Majidi, Reza

2014-09-01

In this study, we report the first successful production of kefiran nanofibers through electrospinning process using distilled water as solvent. For this purpose, kefiran was extracted from cultured kefir grains, and homogenous kefiran solutions with different concentrations were prepared and then electrospun to obtain uniform nanofibers. The effect of main process parameters, including applied voltage, tip-to-collector distance, and feeding rate, on diameter and morphology of produced nanofibers, was studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize electrospun mats. Rheological behavior of the kefiran solution was evaluated via a cone and plate rheometer too. The results exhibited that diameter of kefiran nanofibers increased with increasing polymer concentration, applied voltage, and polymer feeding rate, while tip-to-collector distance did not have significant effect on nanofiber diameter. ATR-FTIR spectra showed that kefiran has maintained its molecular structure during electrospinning process. Flow curves also demonstrated shear thinning behavior for kefiran solutions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synergetic effect of topological cue and periodic mechanical tension-stress on osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yao; Yang, Guang; Ji, Huanzhong; Xiang, Tao; Luo, En; Zhou, Shaobing

2017-06-01

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are able to self-renew and differentiate into tissues of mesenchymal origin, making them to be significant for cell-based therapies, such as metabolic bone diseases and bone repair. Regulating the differentiation of MSCs is significant for bone regeneration. Electrospun fibers mimicking natural extracellular matrix (ECM), is an effective artificial ECM to regulate the behaviors and fates of MSCs. The aligned electrospun fibers can modulate polar cell pattern of bone mesenchymal stem cells, which leads to more obvious osteogenic differentiation. Apart from the topographic effect of electrospun fibers, mechanical cues can also intervene the cell behaviors. In this study, the osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells was evaluated, which were cultured on aligned/random electrospun fiber mats materials under mechanical tension intervention. Scanning electron microscope and immune-fluorescent staining were used to directly observe the polarity changing of cellular morphology and cytoskeleton. The results proved that aligned electrospun fibers could be more conducive to promote osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells and this promotion of osteogenic differentiation was enhanced by tension intervention. These results were correlated to the quantitative real-time PCR assay. In general, culturing rat bone mesenchymal stem cells on electrospun fibers under the intervention of mechanical tension is an effective way to mimic a more real cellular microenvironment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biomimetic fiber assembled gradient hydrogel to engineer glycosaminoglycan enriched and mineralized cartilage: An in vitro study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, Neethu; Wilson, Jijo; Joseph, Dexy; Vaikkath, Dhanesh; Nair, Prabha D

2015-12-01

The study investigated the potential of electrospun fiber assembled hydrogel, with physical gradients of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and sol-gel-derived bioactive glass (BG), to engineer hyaline and mineralized cartilage in a single 3D system. Electrospun poly(caprolactone) (PCL) fibers incorporated with 0.1% w/w of CS (CSL) and 0.5% w/w of CS (CSH), 2.4% w/w of BG (BGL) and 12.5% w/w of BG (BGH) were fabricated. The CS showed a sustained release up to 3 days from CSL and 14 days from CSH fibers. Chondrocytes secreted hyaline like matrix with higher sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG), collagen type II and aggrecan on CSL and CSH fibers. Mineralization was observed on BGL and BGH fibers when incubated in simulated body fluid for 14 days. Chondrocytes cultured on these fibers secreted a mineralized matrix that consisted of sGAG, hypertrophic proteins, collagen type X, and osteocalcin. The CS and BG incorporated PCL fiber mats were assembled in an agarose-gelatin hydrogel to generate a 3D hybrid scaffold. The signals in the fibers diffused and generated continuous opposing gradients of CS (chondrogenic signal) and BG (mineralization) in the hydrogel. The chondrocytes were encapsulated in hybrid scaffolds; live dead assay at 48 h showed viable cells. Cells maintained their phenotype and secreted specific extracellular matrix (ECM) in response to signals within the hydrogel. Continuous opposing gradients of sGAG enriched and mineralized ECM were observed surrounding each cell clusters on gradient hydrogel after 14 days of culture in response to the physical gradients of raw materials CS and BG. A construct with gradient mineralization might accelerate integration to subchondral bone during in vivo regeneration. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development and characterization of coaxially electrospun gelatin coated poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) thin films as potential scaffolds for skin regeneration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagiah, Naveen; Madhavi, Lakshmi; Anitha, R.; Anandan, C.; Srinivasan, Natarajan Tirupattur; Sivagnanam, Uma Tirichurapalli

2013-01-01

The morphology of fibers synthesized through electrospinning has been found to mimic extracellular matrix. Coaxially electrospun fibers of gelatin (sheath) coated poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) (core) was developed using 2,2,2 trifluoroethanol(TFE) and 1,1,1,3,3,3 hexafluoro-2-propanol(HFIP) as solvents respectively. The coaxial structure and coating of gelatin with PHB fibers was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Thermal stability of the coaxially electrospun fibers was analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis(TGA), differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and differential thermogravimetric analysis(DTA). Complete evaporation of solvent and gelatin grafting over PHB fibers was confirmed through attenuated total reflection-Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The coaxially electrospun fibers exhibited competent tensile properties for skin regeneration with high surface area and porosity. In vitro degradation studies proved the stability of fibers and its potential applications in tissue engineering. The fibers supported the growth of human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes with normal morphology indicating its potential as a scaffold for skin regeneration. - Highlights: • Coaxial electrospinning was employed to develop core-shell fibers of PHB and gelatin. • The scaffold has competent physicochemical properties. • Developed scaffold will have high impact as a dermal substitute in skin regeneration

Development and characterization of coaxially electrospun gelatin coated poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) thin films as potential scaffolds for skin regeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagiah, Naveen [Bioproducts Lab, Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai (India); Madhavi, Lakshmi; Anitha, R. [CavinKare Research Centre, Ekkattuthangal, Chennai (India); Anandan, C. [National Aerospace Laboratory, Banglore (India); Srinivasan, Natarajan Tirupattur, E-mail: naveen.nagiah@gmail.com [Conducting Polymers Lab, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai (India); Sivagnanam, Uma Tirichurapalli, E-mail: suma67@gmail.com [Bioproducts Lab, Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai (India)

2013-10-01

The morphology of fibers synthesized through electrospinning has been found to mimic extracellular matrix. Coaxially electrospun fibers of gelatin (sheath) coated poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) (core) was developed using 2,2,2 trifluoroethanol(TFE) and 1,1,1,3,3,3 hexafluoro-2-propanol(HFIP) as solvents respectively. The coaxial structure and coating of gelatin with PHB fibers was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Thermal stability of the coaxially electrospun fibers was analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis(TGA), differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and differential thermogravimetric analysis(DTA). Complete evaporation of solvent and gelatin grafting over PHB fibers was confirmed through attenuated total reflection-Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The coaxially electrospun fibers exhibited competent tensile properties for skin regeneration with high surface area and porosity. In vitro degradation studies proved the stability of fibers and its potential applications in tissue engineering. The fibers supported the growth of human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes with normal morphology indicating its potential as a scaffold for skin regeneration. - Highlights: • Coaxial electrospinning was employed to develop core-shell fibers of PHB and gelatin. • The scaffold has competent physicochemical properties. • Developed scaffold will have high impact as a dermal substitute in skin regeneration.

A simple method for fabrication of electrospun fibers with controlled degree of alignment having potential for nerve regeneration applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vimal, Sunil Kumar; Ahamad, Nadim; Katti, Dhirendra S., E-mail: dsk@iitk.ac.in

2016-06-01

In peripheral nerve injuries where direct suturing of nerve endings is not feasible, nerve regeneration has been facilitated through the use of artificially aligned fibrous scaffolds that provide directional growth of neurons to bridge the gap. The degree of fiber alignment is crucial and can impact the directionality of cells in a fibrous scaffold. While there have been multiple approaches that have been used for controlling fiber alignment, however, they have been associated with a compromised control on other properties, such as diameter, morphology, curvature, and topology of fibers. Therefore, the present study demonstrates a modified electrospinning set-up, that enabled fabrication of electrospun fibers with controlled degree of alignment from non-aligned (NA), moderately aligned (MA, 75%) to highly aligned (HA, 95%) sub-micron fibers while keeping other physical properties unchanged. The results demonstrate that the aligned fibers (MA and HA) facilitated directional growth of human astrocytoma cells (U373), wherein the aspect ratio of cells was found to increase with an increase in degree of fibers alignment. In contrast to NA and MA fibers, the HA fibers showed improved contact guidance to U373 cells that was demonstrated by a significantly higher cell aspect ratio and nuclear aspect ratio. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated a modified electrospinning setup to fabricate differentially aligned fibrous scaffolds with the HA fibers showing potential for use in neural tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Modified electrospinning set-up for fabrication of fibers with controlled alignment • Three parameter-based control on the degree of alignment of fibers • The aligned fibers enhanced cell elongation and cell-cell contact. • The aligned fibers show potential for use in nerve regeneration.

Wettability modification of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) fibers by femtosecond laser irradiation in different gas atmospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Lingna; Chen Jian; Farson, Dave F.; Lannutti, John J.; Rokhlin, Stan I.

2011-01-01

The effect of femtosecond laser irradiation in air and in O 2 and CF 4 gas flows on the wettability of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) fiber tissue scaffolds was studied. Laser power, focus spot size, raster scan spacing and gas atmosphere were varied in experiments. SEM imaging showed the average fiber diameter and surface porosity sizes were both altered by ablation. The micro-scale surface roughness measured by scanning laser profilometry was found to have a non-monotonic relationship to the surface wettability measured by the contact angle of sessile water droplets. In contrast, surface water contact angle continuously decreased with increased oxygen atomic percentage and oxygen-containing group fraction as measured by XPS. Further, the oxygen content was larger for more extensively ablated fiber surfaces, regardless of whether the increased ablation was caused by high laser power, smaller scanning space or smaller defocusing distance. Of the three gas atmospheres, O 2 gas flow was the most favorable environment for increasing surface oxidization, resulting in the largest water contact angle decrease for given laser power. For CF 4 gas flow, the least oxidization occurred, and the magnitude of water contact angle decrease was smallest for treatment at a given laser power.

Enhanced performance of electrospun carbon fibers modified with carbon nanotubes: promising electrodes for enzymatic biofuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, A Both; Cherifi, A; Tingry, S; Cornu, D; Peigney, A; Laurent, Ch

2013-06-21

New nanostructured electrodes, promising for the production of clean and renewable energy in biofuel cells, were developed with success. For this purpose, carbon nanofibers were produced by the electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile solution followed by convenient thermal treatments (stabilization followed by carbonization at 1000, 1200 and 1400° C), and carbon nanotubes were adsorbed on the surfaces of the fibers by a dipping method. The morphology of the developed electrodes was characterized by several techniques (SEM, Raman spectroscopy, electrical conductivity measurement). The electrochemical properties were evaluated through cyclic voltammetry, where the influence of the carbonization temperature of the fibers and the beneficial contribution of the carbon nanotubes were observed through the reversibility and size of the redox peaks of K3Fe(CN)6 versus Ag/AgCl. Subsequently, redox enzymes were immobilized on the electrodes and the electroreduction of oxygen to water was realized as a test of their efficiency as biocathodes. Due to the fibrous and porous structure of these new electrodes, and to the fact that carbon nanotubes may have the ability to promote electron transfer reactions of redox biomolecules, the new electrodes developed were capable of producing higher current densities than an electrode composed only of electrospun carbon fibers.

Antibacterial and Barrier Properties of Gelatin Coated by Electrospun Polycaprolactone Ultrathin Fibers Containing Black Pepper Oleoresin of Interest in Active Food Biopackaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly Johana Figueroa-Lopez

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The present study evaluated the effect of using electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL as a barrier coating and black pepper oleoresin (OR as a natural extract on the morphology, thermal, mechanical, antimicrobial, oxygen, and water vapor barrier properties of solvent cast gelatin (GEL. The antimicrobial activity of the developed multilayer system obtained by the so-called electrospinning coating technique was also evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus strains for 10 days. The results showed that the multilayer system containing PCL and OR increased the thermal resistance, elongated the GEL film, and significantly diminished its permeance to water vapor. Active multilayer systems stored in hermetically closed bottles increased their antimicrobial activity after 10 days by inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. This study demonstrates that addition of electrospun PCL ultrathin fibers and OR improved the properties of GEL films, which promoted its potential use in active food packaging applications.

Preparation and characterization of electrospun poly(phthalazinone ether nitrile ketone) membrane with novel thermally stable properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Gang; Zhang, Hao; Qian, Bingqing [Carbon Research Laboratory, Liaoning Key Lab for Energy Materials and Chemical Engineering, State Key Lab of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Wang, Jinyan, E-mail: wangjinyan@dlut.edu.cn [Department of Polymer Science and Materials, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Jian, Xigao [Department of Polymer Science and Materials, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Qiu, Jieshan, E-mail: jqiu@dlut.edu.cn [Carbon Research Laboratory, Liaoning Key Lab for Energy Materials and Chemical Engineering, State Key Lab of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)

2015-10-01

Highlights: • Poly (phthalazinone ether nitrile ketone) (PPENK) was used to successfully prepare nanofiber membranes by electrospinning. • Electrospun membrane exhibits a good thermostability. • Electrospun membrane. - Abstract: Electrospun nanofibrous membranes have several applications because of their excellent properties, such as high porosity, small fiber diameter, and large surface area. However, high-temperature resistant electrospun membranes remain a challenge because of the absence of precursors that offer spinnability, scalability, and superior thermal stability. In this study, poly(phthalazinone ether nitrile ketone) (PPENK) was used to successfully prepare nanofiber membranes by electrospinning. Electrospun PPENK membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and tensile stress–strain tests. Results indicated that the prepared electrospun membranes had a very high glass transition temperature, superior chemical resistance, and excellent mechanical strength. These desirable properties broaden their potential application in membranes and treatment of various hot fluid streams without strict temperature control.

Superhydrophobic Bilayer Coating Based on Annealed Electrospun Ultrathin Poly(ε-caprolactone Fibers and Electrosprayed Nanostructured Silica Microparticles for Easy Emptying Packaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Lasprilla-Botero

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A coating rendering superhydrophobic properties to low-density polyethylene (LDPE films used in packaging applications was herein generated by means of the electrohydrodynamic processing (EHDP technique. To this end, electrospun ultrathin poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL fibers, followed by electrosprayed nanostructured silica (SiO2 microparticles, were deposited on top of the LDPE film. Various electrospinning and electrospraying times were tested and optimized followed by a thermal post-treatment to provide physical adhesion between the bilayer coating and the LDPE substrate. The morphology, hydrophobicity, permeance to limonene, and thermal stability of the resultant nanostructured coatings were characterized. It was observed that by controlling both the deposition time of the electrospun ultrathin PCL fibers and the electrosprayed SiO2 microparticles, as well as the conditions of the thermal post-treatment, effective superhydrophobic coatings were developed onto the LDPE films. The resultant multilayer presented a hierarchical micro/nanostructured surface with an apparent contact angle of 157° and a sliding angle of 8°. The addition of silica reduced, to some extent, the limonene (aroma barrier, likely due to the increased surface-to-volume ratio, which allowed permeant sorption to occur but improved the thermal stability of the LDPE/PCL film. As a result, the developed multilayer system of LDPE/PCL/SiO2 has significant potential for use in easy-to-empty packaging applications of high water activity products.

Preparation of silica-sustained electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone fibers with uniform mesopores via oxidative removal of template molecules by H2O2 treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Haigang; Zhu, Yihua; Shen, Jianhua; Yang, Xiaoling; Chen, Cheng; Cao, Huimin; Li, Chungzhong

2010-01-01

Silica-sustained electrospun PVP fibers with uniform mesopores were synthesized via facile oxidative removal of template molecules by H 2 O 2 extraction. Tetraethyl orthosilicate, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and triblock poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer pluronic P 123 compose the electrospinning sol to fabricate the silica-sustained PVP hybrid fibers. The effect of different post-treatment methods on the pore size distribution was investigated by calcination and extraction, respectively. Experimental results showed that oxidative removal of structure-directing agent P 123 in the hybrid fibers by H 2 O 2 treatment can easily form narrow pore size distribution, and the incorporation of 3D silica skeleton built by hot steam aging facilitated preserving the original cylindrical morphology of fibers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR spectra and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to characterize the hybrid fibers. The hybrid fibers can be expected to have potential applications in drug release or tissue engineering because of their suitable pore size, large surface area and good biocompatibility.

A review on electrospun nanofibers for oral drug delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Akhgari

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, polymer nanofibers have gained attention due to remarkable characteristics such as high porosity and large surface area to volume ratio. Among their fabrication methods, electrospinning technique has been attracted as a simple and reproducible approach. It is a versatile, simple and cost-effective technique for the production of continuous nanofibers with acceptable characteristics such as high porosity, high surface area to volume ratio, high loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency, delivery of multiple drugs, and enhancement of drug solubility. Due to these properties electrospun nanofibers have been extensively used for different biomedical applications including wound dressing, tissue engineering, enzyme immobilization, artificial organs, and drug delivery. Different synthetic and natural polymers have been successfully electrospun into ultrafine fibers. Using electrospun nanofibers as vehicles for oral drug delivery has been investigated in different release manners- fast, biphasic or sustained release. This article presents a review on application of electrospinning technique in oral drug delivery.

Super-Hydrophobic High Throughput Electrospun Cellulose Acetate (CA) Nanofibrous Mats as Oil Selective Sorbents

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chao

The threat of oil pollution increases with the expansion of oil exploration and production activities, as well as the industrial growth around the world. Use of sorbents is a common method to deal with the oil spills. In this work, an advanced sorbent technology is described. A series of non-woven Cellulose Acetate (CA) nanofibrous mats with a 3D fibrous structure were synthesized by a novel high-throughput electrospinning technique. The precursor was solutions of CA/ acetic acid-acetone in various concentrations. Among them, 15.0% CA exhibits a superhydrophobic surface property, with a water contact angle of 128.95°. Its oil sorption capacity is many times higher the oil sorption capacity of the best commercial sorbent available in the market. Also, it showed good buoyancy properties on the water both as dry-mat and oil-saturated mat. In addition, it is biodegradable, easily available, easily manufactured, so the CA nanofibrous mat is an excellent candidate as oil sorbent for oil spill in water treatment.

Improved cellular infiltration into nanofibrous electrospun cross-linked gelatin scaffolds templated with micrometer-sized polyethylene glycol fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skotak, Maciej; Ragusa, Jorge; Gonzalez, Daniela; Subramanian, Anuradha

2011-01-01

Gelatin-based nanofibrous scaffolds with a mean fiber diameter of 300 nm were prepared with and without micrometer-sized polyethylene glycol (PEG) fibers that served as sacrificial templates. Upon fabrication of the scaffolds via electrospinning, the gelatin fibers were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, and the PEG templates were removed using tert-butanol to yield nanofibrous scaffolds with pore diameters ranging from 10 to 100 μm, as estimated with mercury intrusion porosimetry. Non-templated gelatin-based nanofibrous matrices had an average pore size of 1 μm. Fibroblasts were seeded onto both types of the gelatin-based nanofibrous surfaces and cultured for 14 days. For comparative purposes, chitosan-based and polyurethane-based macroporous scaffolds with pore sizes of 100 and 170 μm, respectively, were also included. The number of cells as a function of the depth into the scaffold was judged and quantitatively assessed using nuclei staining. Cell penetration up to a depth of 250 and 90 μm was noted in gelatin scaffolds prepared with sacrificial templates and gelatin-only nanofibrous scaffolds. Noticeably, scaffold preparation protocol presented here allowed the structural integrity to be maintained even with high template content (95%) and can easily be extended toward other classes of electrospun polymer matrices for tissue engineering.

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic diphase ZnFe2O4/γ-Fe2O3 electrospun fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arias, M.; Pantojas, V.M.; Perales, O.; Otano, W.

2011-01-01

Magnetic nanofibers of ZnFe 2 O 4 /γ-Fe 2 O 3 composite were synthesized by electrospinning from a sol-gel solution containing a molar ratio (Fe/Zn) of 3. The effects of the calcination temperature on phase composition, particle size and magnetic properties have been investigated. Zinc ferrite fibers were obtained by calcinating the electrospun fibers in air from 300 to 800 deg. C and characterized by thermogravimetric analyses, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, vibration sample magnetometry and magnetic force microscopy. The resulting fibers, with diameters ranging from 90 to 150 nm, were ferrimagnetic with high saturation magnetization as compared to bulk. An increase in the calcination temperature resulted in an increase in particle size and saturation magnetization. The observed increase in saturation magnetization was most likely due to the formation and growth of ZnFe 2 O 4 /γ-Fe 2 O 3 diphase crystals. The highest saturation magnetization (45 emu/g) was obtained for fibers calcined at 800 deg. C. - Research highlights: → Nanofibers were produced by electrospinning from a sol-gel. → ZnFe 2 O 4 /γ-Fe 2 O 3 formed after cacination in air from 300 to 800 deg. C. → Fibers were ferrimagnetic with high saturation magnetization. → Crystallite particle size and saturation magnetization increase with temperature. → Magnetic domains with sizes similar to topographical grains were observed.

Novel Bonding Process for CBW Protective Electrospun Fabric Laminates Phase 2

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

thane Foam Knit Polyester Fabric Woven C otton Fabric Army C hemical Protective Uniform Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Membrane Microporous PTFE...deposit more material per unit time, quickly building up an insulating layer beneath the nozzle tip. Again this pushes the fiber deposit outward to

Bioactivity of cellulose acetate/hydroxyapatite nanoparticle composite fiber by an electro-spinning process.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak, Dae Hyun; Lee, Eun Ju; Kim, Deug Joong

2014-11-01

Hydroxyapatite/cellulose acetate composite webs were fabricated by an electro-spinning process. This electro-spinning process makes it possible to fabricate complex three-dimensional shapes. Nano fibrous web consisting of cellulose acetate and hydroxyapatite was produced from their mixture solution by using an electro-spinning process under high voltage. The surface of the electro-spun fiber was modified by a plasma and alkaline solution in order to increase its bioactivity. The structure, morphology and properties of the electro-spun fibers were investigated and an in-vitro bioactivity test was evaluated in simulated body fluid (SBF). Bioactivity of the electro-spun web was enhanced with the filler concentration and surface treatment. The surface changes of electro-spun fibers modified by plasma and alkaline solution were investigated by FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy).

Electrospun TiO{sub 2} nanofibers decorated Ti substrate for biomedical application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dumitriu, Cristina [Åbo Akademi University, Process Chemistry Centre, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Biskopsgatan 8, Åbo-Turku FI-20500 (Finland); Politehnica University Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Department of General Chemistry, 1-7 Polizu, Bucharest Ro-011061 (Romania); Stoian, Andrei Bogdan [Politehnica University Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Department of General Chemistry, 1-7 Polizu, Bucharest Ro-011061 (Romania); Titorencu, Irina; Pruna, Vasile; Jinga, Victor V. [Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology “Nicolae Simionescu”, 8 B. P. Hasdeu, district 5, Bucharest Ro-050568 (Romania); Latonen, Rose-Marie; Bobacka, Johan [Åbo Akademi University, Process Chemistry Centre, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Biskopsgatan 8, Åbo-Turku FI-20500 (Finland); Demetrescu, Ioana, E-mail: i_demetrescu@chim.upb.ro [Politehnica University Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Department of General Chemistry, 1-7 Polizu, Bucharest Ro-011061 (Romania)

2014-12-01

Various TiO{sub 2} nanofibers on Ti surface have been fabricated via electrospinning and calcination. Due to different elaboration conditions the electrospun fibers have different surface feature morphologies, characterized by scanning electronic microscopy, surface roughness, and contact angle measurements. The results have indicated that the average sample diameters are between 32 and 44 nm, roughness between 61 and 416 nm, and all samples are hydrophilic. As biological evaluation, cell culture with MG63 cell line originally derived from a human osteosarcoma was performed and correlation between nanofibers elaboration, properties and cell response was established. The cell adherence and growth are more evident on Ti samples with more aligned fibers, higher roughness and strong hydrophilic character and such fibers have been elaborated with a high speed rotating cylinder collector, confirming the idea that nanostructure elaboration conditions guide the cells' growth. - Highlights: • Processing Ti surface via electrospinning and calcination leads to TiO{sub 2} nanofibers. • The TiO{sub 2} electrospun fibers on Ti have diameters between 10 and 100 nm. • Elaboration with high speed rotating cylinder collector leads to aligned fibers. • The samples have roughness between 61 and 416 nm and all of them are hydrophilic. • Cell adherence and viability is more evident on Ti samples with aligned fibers.

Anisotropic poly (glycerol sebacate)-poly (ϵ-caprolactone) electrospun fibers promote endothelial cell guidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaharwar, Akhilesh K; Nikkhah, Mehdi; Sant, Shilpa; Khademhosseini, Ali

2015-01-01

Topographical cell guidance is utilized to engineer highly organized and aligned cellular constructs for numerous tissue engineering applications. Recently, electrospun scaffolds fabricated using poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) and poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) have shown a great promise to support valvular interstitial cell functions for the development of tissue engineered heart valves. However, one of the major drawbacks of PGS-PCL scaffolds is the lack of control over cellular alignment. In this work, we investigate the role of scaffold architecture on the endothelial cell alignment, proliferation and formation of organized cellular structures. In particular, PGS-PCL scaffolds with randomly oriented and highly aligned fibers with tunable mechanical properties were fabricated using electrospinning technique. After one week of culture, endothelial cells on the aligned scaffolds exhibited higher proliferation compared to those cultures on randomly oriented fibrous scaffolds. Furthermore, the endothelial cells reorganized in response to the topographical features of aligned scaffolds forming highly organized cellular constructs. Thus, topographical contact guidance, provided by aligned PGS-PCL scaffolds, is envisioned to be useful in developing cellular structures for vascular tissue engineering. (paper)

Construction and characterization of an electrospun tubular scaffold for small-diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts: a scaffold membrane approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jin-Jia; Chao, Wei-Chih; Lee, Pei-Yuan; Huang, Chih-Hao

2012-09-01

Based on a postulate that the microstructure of a scaffold can influence that of the resulting tissue and hence its mechanical behavior, we fabricated a small-diameter tubular scaffold (∼3 mm inner diameter) that has a microstructure similar to the arterial media using a scaffold membrane approach. Scaffold membranes that contain randomly oriented, moderately aligned, or highly aligned fibers were fabricated by collecting electrospun poly([epsilon]-caprolactone) fibers on a grounded rotating drum at three different drum rotation speeds (250, 1000, and 1500 rpm). Membranes of each type were wrapped around a small-diameter mandrel to form the tubular scaffolds. Particularly, the tubular scaffolds with three different off-axis fiber angles (30, 45, and 60 degree) were formed using membranes that contain aligned fibers. These scaffolds were subjected to biaxial mechanical testing to examine the effects of fiber directions as well as the distribution of fiber orientations on their mechanical properties. The circumferential elastic modulus of the tubular scaffold was closely related to the fiber directions; the larger the off-axis fiber angle the greater the circumferential elastic modulus. The distribution of fiber orientations, on the other hand, manifested itself in the mechanical behavior via the Poisson effect. Similar to cell sheet-based vascular tissue engineering, tubular cell-seeded constructs were prepared by wrapping cell-seeded scaffold membranes, alleviating the difficulty associated with cell seeding in electrospun scaffolds. Histology of the construct illustrated that cells were aligned to the fiber directions in the construct, demonstrating the potential to control the microstructure of tissue-engineered vascular grafts using the electrospun scaffold membrane. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construction of ureteral grafts by seeding urothelial cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into polycaprolactone-lecithin electrospun fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jie; Fu, Xiaoling; Ou, Lailiang; Zhang, Min; Guan, Yong; Wang, Kai; Che, Yongzhe; Kong, Deling; Steinhof, Gustav; Li, Wenzhong; Yu, Yaoting; Ma, Nan

2010-03-01

The aim of the present study was to investigated the construction of polycaprolactone-lecithin (PCL-L) electrospun fibers as a novel scaffold material for a tissue-engineered ureter. The effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on the neovascularization of the scaffolds and the viability of planted urothelial cells (UCs) on PCL-L were also studied. UCs were obtained from New Zealand rabbit bladders, cultured and then seeded onto the lumen of the tubular scaffolds before being subcutaneously transplanted into the space of nude mice. The cultured UCs showed vacuolar degeneration after 7 days of transplantation and they gradually degraded thereafter. To facilitate the regeneration of the tissue-engineered ureter and the survival of UCs in the implant, MSCs were seeded into the tubular grafts by rolling up the nanofibrous membrane, followed by the seeding of UCs. This facilitated the survival of the UCs, which formed several cellular layers after 30 days. The mean microvessel density was significantly increased in tissues seeded with MSCs. Cell-tracking experiments revealed that the transplanted MSCs did not integrate directly into capillaries for angiogenesis. Our results demonstrated that the PCL-L electrospun fibrous scaffold has a high potential for a tissue-engineered ureter especially when seeded with BM-MSCs, which enhanced angiogenesis.

Ceria-based electrospun fibers for renewable fuel production via two-step thermal redox cycles for carbon dioxide splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, William T; Venstrom, Luke J; De Smith, Robert M; Davidson, Jane H; Jackson, Gregory S

2014-07-21

Zirconium-doped ceria (Ce(1-x)Zr(x)O2) was synthesized through a controlled electrospinning process as a promising approach to cost-effective, sinter-resistant material structures for high-temperature, solar-driven thermochemical redox cycles. To approximate a two-step redox cycle for solar fuel production, fibrous Ce(1-x)Zr(x)O2 with relatively low levels of Zr-doping (0 rates of O2 release during reduction and CO production during reoxidation and by assessing post-cycling fiber crystallite sizes and surface areas. Sintering increases with reduction temperature but occurs primarily along the fiber axes. Even after 108 redox cycles with reduction at 1400 °C and oxidation with CO2 at 800 °C, the fibers maintain their structure with surface areas of ∼0.3 m(2) g(-1), higher than those observed in the literature for other ceria-based structures operating at similarly high temperature conditions. Total CO production and peak production rate stabilize above 3.0 mL g(-1) and 13.0 mL min(-1) g(-1), respectively. The results show the potential for electrospun oxides as sinter-resistant material structures with adequate surface area to support rapid CO2 splitting in solar thermochemical redox cycles.

Mechanically-reinforced electrospun composite silk fibroin nanofibers containing hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyunryung; Che, Lihua; Ha, Yoon; Ryu, WonHyoung

2014-01-01

Electrospun silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds provide large surface area, high porosity, and interconnection for cell adhesion and proliferation and they may replace collagen for many tissue engineering applications. Despite such advantages, electrospun SF scaffolds are still limited as bone tissue replacement due to their low mechanical strengths. While enhancement of mechanical strengths by incorporating inorganic ceramics into polymers has been demonstrated, electrospinning of a mixture of SF and inorganic ceramics such as hydroxyapatite is challenging and less studied due to the aggregation of ceramic particles within SF. In this study, we aimed to enhance the mechanical properties of electrospun SF scaffolds by uniformly dispersing hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles within SF nanofibers. HAp nanoaprticles were modified by γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) for uniform dispersion and enhanced interfacial bonding between HAp and SF fibers. Optimal conditions for electrospinning of SF and GPTMS-modified HAp nanoparticles were identified to achieve beadless nanofibers without any aggregation of HAp nanoparticles. The MTT and SEM analysis of the osteoblasts-cultured scaffolds confirmed the biocompatibility of the composite scaffolds. The mechanical properties of the composite scaffolds were analyzed by tensile tests for the scaffolds with varying contents of HAp within SF fibers. The mechanical testing showed the peak strengths at the HAp content of 20 wt.%. The increase of HAp content up to 20 wt.% increased the mechanical properties of the composite scaffolds, while further increase above 20 wt.% disrupted the polymer chain networks within SF nanofibers and weakened the mechanical strengths. - Highlights: • Electrospun composite silk fibroin scaffolds were mechanically-reinforced. • GPTMS enhanced hydroxyapatite distribution in silk fibroin nanofibers. • Mechanical property of composite scaffolds increased up to 20% of hydroxyapatite. • Composite

ECM Decorated Electrospun Nanofiber for Improving Bone Tissue Regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Fu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Optimization of nanofiber surface properties can lead to enhanced tissue regeneration outcomes in the context of bone tissue engineering. Herein, we developed a facile strategy to decorate elctrospun nanofibers using extracellular matrix (ECM in order to improve their performance for bone tissue engineering. Electrospun PLLA nanofibers (PLLA NF were seeded with MC3T3-E1 cells and allowed to grow for two weeks in order to harvest a layer of ECM on nanofiber surface. After decellularization, we found that ECM was successfully preserved on nanofiber surface while maintaining the nanostructure of electrospun fibers. ECM decorated on PLLA NF is biologically active, as evidenced by its ability to enhance mouse bone marrow stromal cells (mBMSCs adhesion, support cell proliferation and promote early stage osteogenic differentiation of mBMSCs. Compared to PLLA NF without ECM, mBMSCs grown on ECM/PLLA NF exhibited a healthier morphology, faster proliferation profile, and more robust osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, our study suggests that ECM decoration on electrospun nanofibers could serve as an efficient approach to improving their performance for bone tissue engineering.

Composite vascular scaffold combining electrospun fibers and physically-crosslinked hydrogel with copper wire-induced grooves structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuanyuan; Jiang, Chen; Li, Shuai; Hu, Qingxi

2016-08-01

While the field of tissue engineered vascular grafts has greatly advanced, many inadequacies still exist. Successfully developed scaffolds require mechanical and structural properties that match native vessels and optimal microenvironments that foster cell integration, adhesion and growth. We have developed a small diameter, three-layered composite vascular scaffold which consists of electrospun fibers and physically-crosslinked hydrogel with copper wire-induced grooves by combining the electrospinning and dip-coating methods. Scaffold morphology and mechanics were assessed, quantified and compared to native vessels. Scaffolds were seeded with Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs), cultured in vitro for 3 days and were evaluated for cell viability and morphology. The results showed that composite scaffolds had adjustable mechanical strength and favorable biocompatibility, which is important in the future clinical application of Tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) blends processed by solvent casting and electrospinning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Gaudio, Costantino; Ercolani, Enrico; Nanni, Francesca; Bianco, Alessandra

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → PHBV, PCL and blends were processed in form of solvent cast films and e-spun mats. → A clear phase separation was observed for cast films when blended in equal amount. → E-spun blends were comprised of uniform and defect-free randomly arranged fibers. → DSC and XRD analyses demonstrated the immiscibility of PHBV and PCL. → Rearrangement of e-spun fibers and neckings, after axial test, were observed. - Abstract: Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) were blended in different ratio, e.g. 30/70, 50/50 and 70/30 (w/w), by means of solvent casting or electrospinning. Microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties of cast films and non-woven mats were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and uniaxial tensile test. The microstructure of PHBV/PCL solvent cast films (thickness 65-100 μm) was strictly dependent on the composition of the blend, a clean phase separation was observed for the 50/50 (w/w) sample. All electrospun PHBV/PCL blends (thickness 350-800 μm) were characterised by uniform and homogenous fibers, the average size was about 3 μm. Both techniques led to polymeric blends comprised of separate crystalline domains associated to an amorphous interdisperse phase. It has also been demonstrated that electrospun PHBV/PCL blends showed a lower segregation degree among the crystalline domains. Solvent cast blends were characterised by superior mechanical properties in terms of tensile modulus and tensile strength compared to electrospun ones. Fractured electrospun blends showed an overall fiber rearrangement in the direction of the applied load, eventually highlighting multiple necking regions along the fibers.

Influence of electrospun scaffolds prepared from distinct polymers on proliferation and viability of endothelial cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matveeva, V. G., E-mail: matveeva-vg@mail.ru; Antonova, L. V., E-mail: antonova.la@mail.ru; Velikanova, E. A.; Sergeeva, E. A.; Krivkina, E. O.; Glushkova, T. V.; Kudryavtseva, Yu. A.; Barbarash, O. L.; Barbarash, L. S. [Research Institute for Complex Issues of Cardiovascular Diseases, Kemerovo, 650002 (Russian Federation)

2015-10-27

We compared electrospun nonwoven scaffolds from polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), and polyhydroxybutyrate/valerate (PHBV)/polycaprolactone (PHBV/PCL). The surface of PHBV/PCL and PCL scaffolds was highly porous and consisted of randomly distributed fibers, whilst the surface of PLA scaffolds consisted of thin straight fibers, which located more sparsely, forming large pores. Culture of EA.hy 926 endothelial cells on these scaffolds during 7 days and further fluorescent microscopy demonstrated that the surface of PHBV/PCL scaffolds was most favorable for efficient adhesion, proliferation, and viability of endothelial cells. The lowest proliferation rate and cell viability were detected on PLA scaffolds. Therefore, PHBV/PCL electrospun nonwoven scaffolds demonstrated the best results regarding endothelial cell proliferation and viability as compared to PCL and PLA scaffolds.

Electrospun polyurethane scaffolds for proliferation and neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlberg, Bjoern; Liu, Johan; Axell, Mathilda Zetterstroem; Kuhn, H Georg; Nannmark, Ulf

2009-01-01

Adult central nervous system (CNS) tissue has a limited capacity to recover after trauma or disease. Hence, tissue engineering scaffolds intended for CNS repair and rehabilitation have been subject to intense research effort. Electrospun porous scaffolds, mimicking the natural three-dimensional environment of the in vivo extracellular matrix (ECM) and providing physical support, have been identified as promising candidates for CNS tissue engineering. The present study demonstrates in vitro culturing and neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) on electrospun fibrous polyurethane scaffolds. Electrospun scaffolds composed of biocompatible polyurethane resin (Desmopan 9370A, Bayer MaterialScience AG) were prepared with a vertical electrospinning setup. Resulting scaffolds, with a thickness of approximately 150 μm, exhibited high porosity (84%) and a bimodal pore size distribution with peaks at 5-6 and 1 μm. The mean fiber diameter was measured to approximately 360 nm with a standard deviation of 80 nm. The undifferentiated hESC line SA002 (Cellartis AB, Goeteborg, Sweden) was seeded and cultured on the produced scaffolds and allowed propagation and then differentiation for up to 47 days. Cultivation of hESC on electrospun fibrous scaffolds proved successful and neuronal differentiation was observed via standard immunocytochemistry. The results indicate that predominantly dopaminergic tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons are derived in co-culture with fibrous scaffolds, in comparison to reference cultures under the same differentiation conditions displaying large proportions of GFAP positive cell types. Scanning electron micrographs confirm neurite outgrowth and connection to adjacent cells, as well as cell attachment to individual fibers of the fibrous scaffold. Consequently, electrospun polyurethane scaffolds have been proven feasible as a substrate for hESC propagation and neuronal differentiation. The physical interaction between cells

Electrospun polyurethane scaffolds for proliferation and neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlberg, Bjoern; Liu, Johan [BioNano Systems Laboratory, Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, Goeteborg, SE-412 96 (Sweden); Axell, Mathilda Zetterstroem; Kuhn, H Georg [Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Goeteborg, SE-413 45 (Sweden); Nannmark, Ulf, E-mail: bjorn.carlberg@chalmers.s, E-mail: mathilda.zetterstrom@neuro.gu.s, E-mail: georg.kuhn@neuro.gu.s, E-mail: ulf.nannmark@anatcell.gu.s, E-mail: jliu@chalmers.s [Department of Medical Chemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Goeteborg, SE-405 30 (Sweden)

2009-08-15

Adult central nervous system (CNS) tissue has a limited capacity to recover after trauma or disease. Hence, tissue engineering scaffolds intended for CNS repair and rehabilitation have been subject to intense research effort. Electrospun porous scaffolds, mimicking the natural three-dimensional environment of the in vivo extracellular matrix (ECM) and providing physical support, have been identified as promising candidates for CNS tissue engineering. The present study demonstrates in vitro culturing and neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) on electrospun fibrous polyurethane scaffolds. Electrospun scaffolds composed of biocompatible polyurethane resin (Desmopan 9370A, Bayer MaterialScience AG) were prepared with a vertical electrospinning setup. Resulting scaffolds, with a thickness of approximately 150{mu}m, exhibited high porosity (84%) and a bimodal pore size distribution with peaks at 5-6 and 1{mu}m. The mean fiber diameter was measured to approximately 360 nm with a standard deviation of 80 nm. The undifferentiated hESC line SA002 (Cellartis AB, Goeteborg, Sweden) was seeded and cultured on the produced scaffolds and allowed propagation and then differentiation for up to 47 days. Cultivation of hESC on electrospun fibrous scaffolds proved successful and neuronal differentiation was observed via standard immunocytochemistry. The results indicate that predominantly dopaminergic tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons are derived in co-culture with fibrous scaffolds, in comparison to reference cultures under the same differentiation conditions displaying large proportions of GFAP positive cell types. Scanning electron micrographs confirm neurite outgrowth and connection to adjacent cells, as well as cell attachment to individual fibers of the fibrous scaffold. Consequently, electrospun polyurethane scaffolds have been proven feasible as a substrate for hESC propagation and neuronal differentiation. The physical interaction between

3D carbon fiber mats/nano-Fe3O4 hybrid material with high electromagnetic shielding performance

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Yingqing; Long, Zhihang; Wan, Xinyi; Zhang, Jiemin; He, Shuangjiang; He, Yi

2018-06-01

To obtain high-performance electromagnetic shielding materials, structure and morphology are two key factors. We here developed an efficient and facial method to prepare high-performance 3D carbon nanofiber mats (CFM)/Fe3O4 hybrid electromagnetic shielding materials. For this purpose, the CFM were chemically modified by mussel-inspired poly-dopamine coating, which were further used as templates for decoration of Fe3O4 nanoparticles via solvothermal route. It was found that the Fe3O4 nano-spheres with diameters of 200-250 nm were uniformly coated on the surface of 3D carbon nanofibers. More importantly, the morphology and structure of resulting 3D carbon nanofiber mats/Fe3O4 hybrids could be easily controlled by altering the experiment parameters, which were examined by FT-IR, XPS, TGA, XRD, SEM, and TEM. The measured magnetic properties showed that saturation magnetism and coercivity increased from 13.4 to 39.7 emu/g and 85.3 to 104.6 Oe, respectively. The lowest reflectivity of resulting hybrid was calculated to be -47 dB at 10.0 GHz (2.5 mm). In addition, the reflectivity of 3D carbon nanofiber mats/Fe3O4 hybrid was less than -25 dB in the range of 7-13 GHz. Moreover, the resulting 3D carbon nanofiber mats/Fe3O4 hybrid exhibited an EMI shielding performance of -62.6 dB in the frequency range of 8.2-12.4 GHz. Therefore, 3D carbon fiber mats/Fe3O4 hybrids can be ideal EMI materials with strong absorption, low density, and wide absorption range.

Electrospun Phospholipid Fibers as Micro-Encapsulation and Antioxidant Matrices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shekarforoush, Elhamalsadat; Mendes, Ana Carina Loureiro; Baj, Vanessa

2017-01-01

Electrospun phospholipid (asolectin) microfibers were investigated as antioxidants and encapsulation matrices for curcumin and vanillin. These phospholipid microfibers exhibited antioxidant properties which increased after the encapsulation of both curcumin and vanillin. The total antioxidant...... capacity (TAC) and the total phenolic content (TPC) of curcumin/phospholipid and vanillin/phospholipid microfibers remained stable over time at different temperatures (refrigerated, ambient) and pressures (vacuum, ambient). ¹H-NMR confirmed the chemical stability of both encapsulated curcumin and vanillin...

Electrospun Zein/Gelatin Scaffold-Enhanced Cell Attachment and Growth of Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fanqiao Yang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Periodontitis is a widespread dental disease affecting 10 to 15% of worldwide adult population, yet the current treatments are far from satisfactory. The human periodontal ligament stem cell is a promising potential seed cell population type in cell-based therapy and tissue regeneration, which require appropriate scaffold to provide a mimic extracellular matrix. Zein, a native protein derived from corn, has an excellent biodegradability, and therefore becomes a hotspot on research and application in the field of biomaterials. However, the high hydrophobicity of zein is unfavorable for cell adhesion and thus greatly limits its use. In this study, we fabricate co-electrospun zein/gelatin fiber scaffolds in order to take full advantages of the two natural materials and electrospun fiber structure. Zein and gelatin in four groups of different mass ratios (100:00, 100:20, 100:34, 100:50, and dissolved the mixtures in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol, then produced membranes by electrospinning. The results showed that the scaffolds were smooth and homogeneous, as shown in scanning electron micrographs. The diameter of hybrid fibers was increased from 69 ± 22 nm to 950 ± 356 nm, with the proportion of gelatin increase. The cell affinity of zein/gelatin nanofibers was evaluated by using human periodontal ligament stem cells. The data showed that hydrophilicity and cytocompatibility of zein nanofibers were improved by blended gelatin. Taken together, our results indicated that the zein/gelatin co-electrospun fibers had sufficient mechanical properties, satisfied cytocompatibility, and can be utilized as biological scaffolds in the field of tissue regeneration.

Nanofiber electrode and method of forming same

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pintauro, Peter N.; Zhang, Wenjing

2018-02-27

In one aspect, a method of forming an electrode for an electrochemical device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of mixing at least a first amount of a catalyst and a second amount of an ionomer or uncharged polymer to form a solution and delivering the solution into a metallic needle having a needle tip. The method further includes the steps of applying a voltage between the needle tip and a collector substrate positioned at a distance from the needle tip, and extruding the solution from the needle tip at a flow rate such as to generate electrospun fibers and deposit the generated fibers on the collector substrate to form a mat with a porous network of fibers. Each fiber in the porous network of the mat has distributed particles of the catalyst. The method also includes the step of pressing the mat onto a membrane.

Electrospun fibrous electrodes with tunable microstructure made of polyaniline/multi-walled carbon nanotube suspension for all-solid-state supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Junsheng; Su, Shijie; Fang, Xu [Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Technology and System of Liaoning Province, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China); Wang, Dazhi, E-mail: d.wang@dlut.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Technology and System of Liaoning Province, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China); Key Laboratory for Precision and Non-traditional Machining Technology of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China); Xu, Shuangchao [Key Laboratory for Precision and Non-traditional Machining Technology of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China)

2016-09-15

Highlights: • Electrospun PANI/MWCNT fibrous electrodes for supercapacitor were prepared. • Microstructure of electrodes is tunable by changing the electrospin parameters. • Fiber-diameter dependence of the electrode performance was observed. • High performance and good stability of electrospun electrodes were obtained. - Abstract: Electrospinning technique was used to prepare high performance fibrous electrodes with tunable microstructure for all-solid-state electrochemical supercapacitor. Symmetrically sandwiched supercapacitors consisting of flexible electrospun polyaniline (PANI)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrodes and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/sulfuric acid (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}) gel electrolyte were assembled. Tunable microstructure of the fibrous electrode was obtained by changing the electrospinning parameters including the collector–needle distance (CND) and the suspension flow rate (SFR). Results show that, higher CND combining with lower SFR can result in a smaller average diameter of the electrospun fibers and hence improve the electrode performance. When the CND changes from 80 to 140 mm, the average fiber diameter will decrease from 2.89 to 1.21 μm, and the specific surface area of the electrode can increase from 57 to 83 m{sup 2}·g{sup −1}. The corresponding specific capacitance of the electrospun electrode will therefore increase from 129.5 to 180 F·g{sup −1}, leading to a synchronous improvement of the energy density of the supercapacitor from 18 to 25 Wh·kg{sup −1}. On the other hand, the supercapacitors using fibrous electrodes in this work also show good rate capability and cycling stability. Using the electrode with an average fiber diameter of 1.21 μm, the specific capacitances can maintain 131 F·g{sup −1} at a current density of 4 A·g{sup −1}, which is 73% of the specific capacitance of the same sample at a current density of 0.5 A·g{sup −1}. And the specific capacitance of the electrode can retain 89

Electrospun fibrous electrodes with tunable microstructure made of polyaniline/multi-walled carbon nanotube suspension for all-solid-state supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Junsheng; Su, Shijie; Fang, Xu; Wang, Dazhi; Xu, Shuangchao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Electrospun PANI/MWCNT fibrous electrodes for supercapacitor were prepared. • Microstructure of electrodes is tunable by changing the electrospin parameters. • Fiber-diameter dependence of the electrode performance was observed. • High performance and good stability of electrospun electrodes were obtained. - Abstract: Electrospinning technique was used to prepare high performance fibrous electrodes with tunable microstructure for all-solid-state electrochemical supercapacitor. Symmetrically sandwiched supercapacitors consisting of flexible electrospun polyaniline (PANI)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrodes and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/sulfuric acid (H_2SO_4) gel electrolyte were assembled. Tunable microstructure of the fibrous electrode was obtained by changing the electrospinning parameters including the collector–needle distance (CND) and the suspension flow rate (SFR). Results show that, higher CND combining with lower SFR can result in a smaller average diameter of the electrospun fibers and hence improve the electrode performance. When the CND changes from 80 to 140 mm, the average fiber diameter will decrease from 2.89 to 1.21 μm, and the specific surface area of the electrode can increase from 57 to 83 m"2·g"−"1. The corresponding specific capacitance of the electrospun electrode will therefore increase from 129.5 to 180 F·g"−"1, leading to a synchronous improvement of the energy density of the supercapacitor from 18 to 25 Wh·kg"−"1. On the other hand, the supercapacitors using fibrous electrodes in this work also show good rate capability and cycling stability. Using the electrode with an average fiber diameter of 1.21 μm, the specific capacitances can maintain 131 F·g"−"1 at a current density of 4 A·g"−"1, which is 73% of the specific capacitance of the same sample at a current density of 0.5 A·g"−"1. And the specific capacitance of the electrode can retain 89% after 1500 charge/discharge cycles.

BioMimic fabrication of electrospun nanofibers with high-throughput

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Jihuan; Liu Yong; Xu Lan; Yu Jianyong; Sun Gang

2008-01-01

Spider-spun fiber is of extraordinary strength and toughness comparable to those of electrospun fiber, the later needs a very high voltage (from several thousands voltage to several ten thousands voltages) applied to water-soluble protein 'soup' that was produced by a spider, furthermore, its mechanical strength dramatically decreases comparable to spider silk. A possible mechanism in spider-spinning process is given, the distinct character in spider-spinning is that its spinneret consists of millions of nano scale tubes, and a bubble can be produced at the apex of each nano-tube. The surface tension of each bubble is extremely small such that it can be spun into nanofibers with an awfully small force, either by the spider's body weight or tension created by the rear legs. We mimic the spider-spinning in electrospinning using an aerated solution, which leads to various small bubbles on surface with very small surface tension, as a result the bubble can be easily electrospun into nanofibers with low applied voltage. This fabrication process possesses features of high productivity, versatility, in addition, the minimum diameter of nanofibers produced by this process can reach as small as 50 nm

p - n junction diodes fabricated from isolated electrospun fibers of (P(NDI2ODT2)) and an inorganic p-doped semiconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Rosado, Alexander; Pinto, Nicholas

2013-03-01

A simple method to fabricate, under ambient conditions and within seconds, p - n diodes using an individual electrospun poly{[N, N'-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5'-(2,2'-bithiophene)}-(P(NDI2ODT2)) fiber and a commercially available p-doped Si/SiO2 substrate is presented. Band bending at the fiber/Si+ interface leads to asymmetric I-V characteristic curves resembling that of a diode. The diode turn-on voltage was in the range 1V and was unaffected via UV light irradiation. The rectification ratio however could be tuned reversibly thereby making this device multifunctional. In addition to being a rectifier, the advantage of our design is the complete exposure of the rectifying junction to the surrounding environment. This has the advantage of making them attractive candidates in the potential fabrication of low power, sensitive and rapid response photo-sensors. NSF

Mesenchymal stem cell cultivation in electrospun scaffolds: mechanistic modeling for tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Paim, Ágata; Tessaro, Isabel C; Cardozo, Nilo S M; Pranke, Patricia

2018-03-05

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field of research in which the cells, biomaterials, and processes can be optimized to develop a tissue substitute. Three-dimensional (3D) architectural features from electrospun scaffolds, such as porosity, tortuosity, fiber diameter, pore size, and interconnectivity have a great impact on cell behavior. Regarding tissue development in vitro, culture conditions such as pH, osmolality, temperature, nutrient, and metabolite concentrations dictate cell viability inside the constructs. The effect of different electrospun scaffold properties, bioreactor designs, mesenchymal stem cell culture parameters, and seeding techniques on cell behavior can be studied individually or combined with phenomenological modeling techniques. This work reviews the main culture and scaffold factors that affect tissue development in vitro regarding the culture of cells inside 3D matrices. The mathematical modeling of the relationship between these factors and cell behavior inside 3D constructs has also been critically reviewed, focusing on mesenchymal stem cell culture in electrospun scaffolds.

On the interplay of morphology and electronic conductivity of rotationally spun carbon fiber mats

Science.gov (United States)

Opitz, Martin; Go, Dennis; Lott, Philipp; Müller, Sandra; Stollenwerk, Jochen; Kuehne, Alexander J. C.; Roling, Bernhard

2017-09-01

Carbon-based materials are used as electrode materials in a wide range of electrochemical applications, e.g., in batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells. For these applications, the electronic conductivity of the materials plays an important role. Currently, porous carbon materials with complex morphologies and hierarchical pore structures are in the focus of research. The complex morphologies influence the electronic transport and may lead to an anisotropic electronic conductivity. In this paper, we unravel the influence of the morphology of rotationally spun carbon fiber mats on their electronic conductivity. By combining experiments with finite-element simulations, we compare and evaluate different electrode setups for conductivity measurements. While the "bar-type method" with two parallel electrodes on the same face of the sample yields information about the intrinsic conductivity of the carbon fibers, the "parallel-plate method" with two electrodes on opposite faces gives information about the electronic transport orthogonal to the faces. Results obtained for the van-der-Pauw method suggest that this method is not well suited for understanding morphology-transport relations in these materials.

Influence of the collector and heat treatment in the structure of BiFeO_3 electrospun nanofibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melo, G.H.F.; Santos, J.P.F.; Bretas, R.E.S.

2016-01-01

The objective of this work was to analyze the influence of the collector type and heat treatment on the morphology and crystalline phases of BiFeO_3 electrospun nanofibers. A solution containing (Fe(NO_3)_3_._9H_2O and Bi(NO_3)_3_._5H_2O) as precursors together with a polyvinylpyrrolidone solution was electrospun using 2.8KV/cm as electrical field. The collector type was however, changed (aluminum and glass). After the electrospinning, the as-spun nanofibers were submitted to two different heat treatments: one at 550°C and the other at 750°C, both during 2h. The collector type changed the morphology of the nanofibers; while in the glass collector, a non-woven mat of flat and rough nanofibers was obtained, in the aluminum collector, mats of circular and smooth nanofibers were obtained. The thermal treatment also changed the morphology and amount of crystalline phases; at 550°C, the nanofiber morphology was maintained and only one crystalline phase (BiFeO_3) was detected. On the other hand, at 750°C, flakes were obtained of two crystalline phases (BiFeO_3 and Bi_2Fe_4O_9). (author)

Real-Time Characterization of Electrospun PVP Nanofibers as Sensitive Layer of a Surface Acoustic Wave Device for Gas Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Matatagui

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The goal of this work has been to study the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP fibers deposited by means of the electrospinning technique for using as sensitive layer in surface acoustic wave (SAW sensors to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs. The electrospinning process of the fibers has been monitored and RF characterized in real time, and it has been shown that the diameters of the fibers depend mainly on two variables: the applied voltage and the distance between the needle and the collector, since all the electrospun fibers have been characterized by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Real-time measurement during the fiber coating process has shown that the depth of penetration of mechanical perturbation in the fiber layer has a limit. It has been demonstrated that once this saturation has been reached, the increase of the thickness of the fibers coating does not improve the sensitivity of the sensor. Finally, the parameters used to deposit the electrospun fibers of smaller diameters have been used to deposit fibers on a SAW device to obtain a sensor to measure different concentrations of toluene at room temperature. The present sensor exhibited excellent sensitivity, good linearity and repeatability, and high and fast response to toluene at room temperature.

Determining the mechanical properties of electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofibers using AFM and a novel fiber anchoring technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, Stephen R.; Banerjee, Soham; Bonin, Keith; Guthold, Martin, E-mail: gutholdm@wfu.edu

2016-02-01

Due to its low cost, biocompatibility and slow bioresorption, poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) continues to be a suitable material for select biomedical engineering applications. We used a combined atomic force microscopy (AFM)/optical microscopy technique to determine key mechanical properties of individual electrospun PCL nanofibers with diameters between 440–1040 nm. Compared to protein nanofibers, PCL nanofibers showed much lower adhesion, as they slipped on the substrate when mechanically manipulated. We, therefore, first developed a novel technique to anchor individual PCL nanofibers to micrometer-sized ridges on a substrate, and then mechanically tested anchored nanofibers. When held at constant strain, tensile stress relaxed with fast and slow relaxation times of 1.0 ± 0.3 s and 8.8 ± 3.1 s, respectively. The total tensile modulus was 62 ± 26 MPa, the elastic (non-relaxing) component of the tensile modulus was 53 ± 36 MPa. Individual PCL fibers could be stretched elastically (without permanent deformation) to strains of 19–23%. PCL nanofibers are rather extensible; they could be stretched to a strain of at least 98%, and a tensile strength of at least 12 MPa, before they slipped off the AFM tip. PCL nanofibers that had aged for over a month at ambient conditions became stiffer and less elastic. Our technique provides accurate nanofiber mechanical data, which are needed to guide construction of scaffolds for cells and other biomedical devices. - Highlights: • Developed technique to anchor single nanofibers on microridges • Determined mechanical properties of e-spun PCL fibers • E-spun PCL fibers have similar mechanical properties as wet fibrin fibers. • E-spun PCL fiber total elastic modulus is ~ 60 MPa. • E-spun PCL fiber extensibility is > 100%.

Optimization of Bicomponent Electrospun Fibers for Therapeutic Use: Post-Treatments to Improve Chemical and Biological Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Papa, Antonio; Guarino, Vincenzo; Cirillo, Valentina; Oliviero, Olimpia; Ambrosio, Luigi

2017-10-16

Bicomponent electrospun nanofibers based on the combination of synthetic (i.e., aliphatic polyesters such as polycaprolactone (PCL)) and natural proteins (i.e., gelatin) have been extensively investigated as temporary platforms to instruct cells by the release of molecular/pharmaceutical signals for the regeneration of several tissues. Here, water soluble proteins (i.e., gelatin), strictly embedded to PCL, act as carriers of bioactive molecules, thus improving bioavailability and supporting cell activities during in vitro regeneration. However, these proteins are rapidly digested by enzymes, locally produced by many different cell types, both in vitro and in vivo, with significant drawbacks in the control of molecular release. Hence, we have investigated three post-processing strategies based on the use of different crosslinking agents-(1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride) (EDC), glyceraldehyde (GC), and 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE)-to delay the dissolution time of gelatin macromolecules from bicomponent fibers. All of the qualitative (i.e., SEM, TGA) and quantitative (i.e., Trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS) and bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assays) morphological/chemical analyses as well as biocompatibility assays indicate that EDC crosslinking improves the chemical stability of bicomponent fibers at 37 °C and provides a more efficient encapsulation and controlled sustained release of drug, thus resulting in the best post-treatment to design bio-inspired fibrous platforms for the extended in vitro release of drugs.

Optimization of Bicomponent Electrospun Fibers for Therapeutic Use: Post-Treatments to Improve Chemical and Biological Stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Papa

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Bicomponent electrospun nanofibers based on the combination of synthetic (i.e., aliphatic polyesters such as polycaprolactone (PCL and natural proteins (i.e., gelatin have been extensively investigated as temporary platforms to instruct cells by the release of molecular/pharmaceutical signals for the regeneration of several tissues. Here, water soluble proteins (i.e., gelatin, strictly embedded to PCL, act as carriers of bioactive molecules, thus improving bioavailability and supporting cell activities during in vitro regeneration. However, these proteins are rapidly digested by enzymes, locally produced by many different cell types, both in vitro and in vivo, with significant drawbacks in the control of molecular release. Hence, we have investigated three post-processing strategies based on the use of different crosslinking agents—(1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC, glyceraldehyde (GC, and 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE—to delay the dissolution time of gelatin macromolecules from bicomponent fibers. All of the qualitative (i.e., SEM, TGA and quantitative (i.e., Trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS and bicinchoninic acid (BCA assays morphological/chemical analyses as well as biocompatibility assays indicate that EDC crosslinking improves the chemical stability of bicomponent fibers at 37 °C and provides a more efficient encapsulation and controlled sustained release of drug, thus resulting in the best post-treatment to design bio-inspired fibrous platforms for the extended in vitro release of drugs.

Nanoclay-Directed Structure and Morphology in PVDF Electrospun Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyunghwan Yoon

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The incorporation of organically modified Lucentite nanoclay dramatically modifies the structure and morphology of the PVDF electrospun fibers. In a molecular level, the nanoclay preferentially stabilizes the all-trans conformation of the polymer chain, promoting an α to β transformation of the crystalline phase. The piezoelectric properties of the β-phase carry great promise for energy harvest applications. At a larger scale, the nanoclay facilitates the formation of highly uniform, bead-free fibers. Such an effect can be attributed to the enhanced conductivity and viscoelasticity of the PVDF-clay suspension. The homogenous distribution of the directionally aligned nanoclays imparts advanced mechanical properties to the nanofibers.

Transition Metal Ions Enable the Transition from Electrospun Prolamin Protein Fibers to Nitrogen-Doped Freestanding Carbon Films for Flexible Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yixiang; Yang, Jingqi; Du, Rongbing; Chen, Lingyun

2017-07-19

Flexible carbon ultrafine fibers are highly desirable in energy storage and conversion devices. Our previous finding showed that electrospun hordein/zein fibers stabilized by Ca 2+ were successfully transferred into nitrogen-doped carbon ultrafine fibers for supercapacitors. However, their relatively brittle nature needed to be improved. Inspired by this stabilizing effect of Ca 2+ , in this work, four transition metal divalent cations were used to assist the formation of flexible hordein/zein-derived carbon ultrafine fibers. Without alteration of the electrospinnability, adequate amounts of zinc acetate and cobalt acetate supported the fibrous structure during pyrolysis. This resulted in flexible freestanding carbon films consisting of well-defined fibers with nitrogen-doped graphitic layers and hierarchical pores. These carbon films were easily cut into small square pieces and directly applied as working electrode in the three-electrode testing system without the need for polymer binders or conducting agents. Notably, the hz-Zn0.3-p electrode, synthesized with 0.3 mol/L Zn 2+ and post-acid treatment, exhibited a specific capacitance of 393 F/g (at 1 A/g), a large rate capability (72.3% remained at 20 A/g), and a capacitance retention of ∼98% after 2000 charging-discharging cycles at 10 A/g. These superior electrochemical properties were attributed to the synergistic effects of the well-developed graphitic layers induced by Zn 2+ , the nitrogen-decorated carbon structure, and the interconnected channels generated by HCl treatment. This research advances potential applications for prolamin proteins as nitrogen-containing raw materials in developing carbon structures for high-performance supercapacitors.

Polymorphic solidification of Linezolid confined in electrospun PCL fibers for controlled release in topical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tammaro, Loredana; Saturnino, Carmela; D'Aniello, Sharon; Vigliotta, Giovanni; Vittoria, Vittoria

2015-07-25

Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) membranes loaded with Linezolid, chemically N-[[(5S)-3-[3-fluoro-4-(4-morpholinyl)phenyl]-2-oxo-5-oxazolidinyl]methyl]acetamide (empirical formula C16H20FN3O4) have been prepared by electrospinning technique, at different Linezolid concentrations (0.5, 1, 2.5 and 5%, w/w). Structural characterization, morphological analysis and the study of the mechanical properties have been performed on loaded membranes and compared with neat PCL membranes. Linezolid embedded in the membranes is prevalently amorphous, with a low crystallinity showing a different polymorphic form respect to the usual Form I and Form II. The release kinetics of the drug were studied by spectrophotometric analysis (UV-vis). It allowed to discriminate between Linezolid molecules on the surface and encapsulated into the fibers. The antibacterial activity of the electrospun membranes was effective to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus. The properties of the loaded membranes and their capability for local delivery of the antibiotic make them good candidates as drug release devices for topical use. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production and cross-sectional characterization of aligned co-electrospun hollow microfibrous bulk assemblies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Feng-Lei [Centre for Imaging Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom); The School of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); CRUK-EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge and Manchester (United Kingdom); Parker, Geoff J.M., E-mail: geoff.parker@manchester.ac.uk [Centre for Imaging Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom); CRUK-EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge and Manchester (United Kingdom); Eichhorn, Stephen J. [College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF (United Kingdom); Hubbard Cristinacce, Penny L. [Centre for Imaging Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom); School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom)

2015-11-15

The development of co-electrospun (co-ES) hollow microfibrous assemblies of an appreciable thickness is critical for many practical applications, including filtration membranes and tissue-mimicking scaffolds. In this study, thick uniaxially aligned hollow microfibrous assemblies forming fiber bundles and strips were prepared by co-ES of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) as shell and core materials, respectively. Hollow microfiber bundles were deposited on a fixed rotating disc, which resulted in non-controllable cross-sectional shapes on a macroscopic scale. In comparison, fiber strips were produced with tuneable thickness and width by additionally employing an x–y translation stage in co-ES. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of cross-sections of fiber assemblies were analyzed to investigate the effects of production time (from 0.5 h to 12 h), core flow rate (from 0.8 mL/h to 2.0 mL/h) and/or translation speed (from 0.2 mm/s to 5 mm/s) on the pores and porosity. We observed significant changes in pore size and shape with core flow rate but the influence of production time varied; five strips produced under the same conditions had reasonably good size and porosity reproducibility; pore sizes didn't vary significantly from strip bottom to surface, although the porosity gradually decreased and then returned to the initial level. - Highlights: • Hollow microfibrous assemblies based on co-electrospinning are demonstrated. • The thickness and width of co-electrospun strips were controllable. • Cross-sections of fibres had non-normally distributed pore sizes and shapes. • Cross-sections were significantly influenced by production time and flow rate. • Co-electrospun strips had reasonably good reproducible cross-sections.

Electrospun antimicrobial hybrid mats: Innovative packaging material for meat and meat-products.

Science.gov (United States)

Amna, Touseef; Yang, Jieun; Ryu, Kyeong-Seon; Hwang, I H

2015-07-01

To prevent the development and spread of spoilage/pathogenic microorganisms via meat foodstuffs, antimicrobial nanocomposite packaging can serve as a potential alternative. The objective of this study was to develop a new class of antimicrobial hybrid packaging mat composed of biodegradable polyurethane supplemented with virgin olive oil and zinc oxide via electrospinning. Instead of mixing antimicrobial compounds directly with food, incorporation in packaging materials allows the functional effect at food surfaces where microbial activity is localized. The nanofibers were characterized by SEM, EDX, XRD and TEM. The antibacterial activity was tested against two common foodborne pathogens viz., Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium. The present results indicated that incorporation of olive oil in the polymer affected morphology of PU nanofibers and nanocomposite packaging were able to inhibit growth of pathogens. Thus; as-spun mat can be used as prospective antimicrobial packaging, which potentially reduces contamination of meat/meat-products. Moreover, introduced biodegradable packaging for meat products could serve to replace PVC films and simultaneously help to protect natural environment.

Development of kenaf mat for slope stabilization

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, M. M.; Manaf, M. B. H. Ab; Zainol, N. Z.

2017-09-01

This study focusing on the ability of kenaf mat to act as reinforcement to laterite compared to the conventional geosynthetic in term of stabilizing the slope. Kenaf mat specimens studied in this paper are made up from natural kenaf fiber with 3mm thickness, 150mm length and 20mm width. With the same size of specimens, geosynthetic that obtain from the industry are being tested for both direct shear and tensile tests. Plasticity index of the soil sample used is equal to 13 which indicate that the soil is slightly plastic. Result shows that the friction angle of kenaf mat is higher compared to friction between soil particles itself. In term of resistance to tensile load, the tensile strength of kenaf mat is 0.033N/mm2 which is lower than the tensile strength of geosynthetic.

A novel electrospun silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite hybrid nanofibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ming, Jinfa; Zuo, Baoqi

2012-01-01

A novel electrospinning of silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite hybrid nanofibers with different composition ratios was performed with methanoic acid as a spinning solvent. The silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite hybrids containing up to 30% hydroxyapatite nanoparticles could be electrospun into the continuous fibrous structure. The electrospun silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite hybrid nanofibers showed bigger diameter and wider diameter distribution than pure silk fibroin nanofibers, and the average diameter gradually increased from 95 to 582 nm. At the same time, the secondary structure of silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite nanofibers was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared analysis, and DSC measurement. Comparing with the pure silk fibroin nanofibers, the crystal structure of silk fibroin was mainly amorphous structure in the hybrid nanofibers. X-ray diffraction results demonstrated the hydroxyapatite crystalline nature remained as evidenced from the diffraction planes (002), (211), (300), and (202) of the hydroxyapatite crystallites, which was also confirmed by Fourier transform infrared analysis. The thermal behavior of hybrid nanofibers exhibited the endothermic peak of moisture evaporation ranging from 86 to 113 °C, and the degradation peak at 286 °C appeared. The SF/HAp nanofibers mats containing 30% HAp nanoparticles showed higher breaking tenacity and extension at break for 1.1688 ± 0.0398 MPa and 6.55 ± 1.95%, respectively. Therefore, the electrospun silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite hybrid nanofibers should be provided potentially useful options for the fabrication of biomaterial scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. -- Highlights: ► The novel SF/HAp nanofibers were directly prepared by electrospinning method. ► The nanofiber diameter had significant related to the content of HAp. ► The crystal structure of silk fibroin was mainly amorphous structure in the hybrid nanofibers. ► The HAp crystals existing in the hybrid nanofibers were characterized

Lithography-free centimeter-long nanochannel fabrication method using an electrospun nanofiber array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Suk Hee; Shin, Hyun-Jun; Lee, Sangyoup; Kim, Yong-Hwan; Yang, Dong-Yol; Lee, Jong-Chul

2012-01-01

Novel cost-effective methods for polymeric and metallic nanochannel fabrication have been demonstrated using an electrospun nanofiber array. Like other electrospun nanofiber-based nanofabrication methods, our system also showed high throughput as well as cost-effective performances. Unlike other systems, however, our fabrication scheme provides a pseudo-parallel nanofiber array a few centimeters long at a speed of several tens of fibers per second based on our unique inclined-gap fiber collecting system. Pseudo-parallel nanofiber arrays were used either directly for the PDMS molding process or for the metal lift-off process followed by the SiO 2 deposition process to produce the nanochannel array. While the PDMS molding process was a simple fabrication based on one-step casting, the metal lift-off process followed by SiO 2 deposition allowed finetuning on height and width of nanogrooves down to subhundred nanometers from a few micrometers. Nanogrooves were covered either with cover glass or with PDMS slab and nanochannel connectivity was investigated with a fluorescent dye. Also, nanochannel arrays were used to investigate mobility and conformations of λ-DNA. (paper)

Stem cell differentiation on electrospun nanofibrous substrates for vascular tissue engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Lin; Prabhakaran, Molamma P.; Qin, Xiaohong; Ramakrishna, Seeram

2013-01-01

Nanotechnology has enabled the engineering of a variety of materials to meet the current challenges and requirements in vascular tissue regeneration. In our study, poly-L-lactide (PLLA) and hybrid PLLA/collagen (PLLA/Coll) nanofibers (3:1 and 1:1) with fiber diameters of 210 to 430 nm were fabricated by electrospinning. Their morphological, chemical and mechanical characterizations were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and tensile instrument, respectively. Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded on electrospun nanofibers that are capable of differentiating into vascular cells have great potential for repair of the vascular system. We investigated the potential of MSCs for vascular cell differentiation in vitro on electrospun PLLA/Coll nanofibrous scaffolds using endothelial differentiation media. After 20 days of culture, MSC proliferation on PLLA/Coll(1:1) scaffolds was found 256% higher than the cell proliferation on PLLA scaffolds. SEM images showed that the MSC differentiated endothelial cells on PLLA/Coll scaffolds showed cobblestone morphology in comparison to the fibroblastic type of undifferentiated MSCs. The functionality of the cells in the presence of ‘endothelial induction media’, was further demonstrated from the immunocytochemical analysis, where the MSCs on PLLA/Coll (1:1) scaffolds differentiated to endothelial cells and expressed the endothelial cell specific proteins such as platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1 or CD31) and Von Willebrand factor (vWF). From the results of the SEM analysis and protein expression studies, we concluded that the electrospun PLLA/Coll nanofibers could mimic the native vascular ECM environment and might be promising substrates for potential application towards vascular regeneration. - Highlights: • PLLA and PLLA/Coll nanofibers were electrospun. • Incorporation of collagen reduced fiber

Stem cell differentiation on electrospun nanofibrous substrates for vascular tissue engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, Lin [Key Laboratory of Textile Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, No. 2999 North Renmin Road, Songjiang, Shanghai 201620 (China); Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, E3-05-14, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Prabhakaran, Molamma P., E-mail: nnimpp@nus.edu.sg [Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, E3-05-14, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Qin, Xiaohong, E-mail: xhqin@dhu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Textile Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, No. 2999 North Renmin Road, Songjiang, Shanghai 201620 (China); Ramakrishna, Seeram [Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, E3-05-14, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2013-12-01

Nanotechnology has enabled the engineering of a variety of materials to meet the current challenges and requirements in vascular tissue regeneration. In our study, poly-L-lactide (PLLA) and hybrid PLLA/collagen (PLLA/Coll) nanofibers (3:1 and 1:1) with fiber diameters of 210 to 430 nm were fabricated by electrospinning. Their morphological, chemical and mechanical characterizations were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and tensile instrument, respectively. Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded on electrospun nanofibers that are capable of differentiating into vascular cells have great potential for repair of the vascular system. We investigated the potential of MSCs for vascular cell differentiation in vitro on electrospun PLLA/Coll nanofibrous scaffolds using endothelial differentiation media. After 20 days of culture, MSC proliferation on PLLA/Coll(1:1) scaffolds was found 256% higher than the cell proliferation on PLLA scaffolds. SEM images showed that the MSC differentiated endothelial cells on PLLA/Coll scaffolds showed cobblestone morphology in comparison to the fibroblastic type of undifferentiated MSCs. The functionality of the cells in the presence of ‘endothelial induction media’, was further demonstrated from the immunocytochemical analysis, where the MSCs on PLLA/Coll (1:1) scaffolds differentiated to endothelial cells and expressed the endothelial cell specific proteins such as platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1 or CD31) and Von Willebrand factor (vWF). From the results of the SEM analysis and protein expression studies, we concluded that the electrospun PLLA/Coll nanofibers could mimic the native vascular ECM environment and might be promising substrates for potential application towards vascular regeneration. - Highlights: • PLLA and PLLA/Coll nanofibers were electrospun. • Incorporation of collagen reduced fiber

In vitro evaluation of crosslinked electrospun fish gelatin scaffolds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomes, S.R.; Rodrigues, G.; Martins, G.G.; Henriques, C.M.R.; Silva, J.C.

2013-01-01

Gelatin from cold water fish skin was electrospun, crosslinked and investigated as a substrate for the adhesion and proliferation of cells. Gelatin was first dissolved in either water or concentrated acetic acid and both solutions were successfully electrospun. Cross-linking was achieved via three different routes: glutaraldehyde vapor, genipin and dehydrothermal treatment. Solution's properties (surface tension, electrical conductivity and viscosity) and scaffold's properties (chemical bonds, weight loss and fiber diameters) were measured. Cellular viability was analyzed culturing 3T3 fibroblasts plated on the scaffolds and grown up to 7 days. The cells were fixed and observed with SEM or stained for DNA and F-actin and observed with confocal microscopy. In all scaffolds, the cells attached and spread with varying degrees. The evaluation of cell viability showed proliferation of cells until confluence in scaffolds crosslinked by glutaraldehyde and genipin; however the rate of growth in genipin crosslinked scaffolds was slow, recovering only by day five. The results using the dehydrothermal treatment were the less satisfactory. Our results show that glutaraldehyde treated fish gelatin is the most suitable substrate, of the three studied, for fibroblast adhesion and proliferation. - Highlights: ► Electrospinning of fish gelatin dissolved in both water or concentrated acetic acid ► Glutaraldehyde, genipin and dehydrothermal treatment effectively crosslink the fish gelatin fibers ► Fibroblasts effectively adhere to and propagate on all scaffolds ► Cell population is highest for glutaraldehyde crosslinked scaffolds ► Cells exhibit more filopodia and stress fibers on glutaraldehyde crosslinked scaffolds

In vitro evaluation of crosslinked electrospun fish gelatin scaffolds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomes, S.R. [Centro de Física e Investigação Tecnológica / Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Rodrigues, G.; Martins, G.G. [Centro de Biologia Ambiental / Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, FCUL, 1749-016 Campo Grande, Lisboa (Portugal); Henriques, C.M.R. [Centro de Física e Investigação Tecnológica / Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Silva, J.C., E-mail: jcs@fct.unl.pt [Centro de Física e Investigação Tecnológica / Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)

2013-04-01

Gelatin from cold water fish skin was electrospun, crosslinked and investigated as a substrate for the adhesion and proliferation of cells. Gelatin was first dissolved in either water or concentrated acetic acid and both solutions were successfully electrospun. Cross-linking was achieved via three different routes: glutaraldehyde vapor, genipin and dehydrothermal treatment. Solution's properties (surface tension, electrical conductivity and viscosity) and scaffold's properties (chemical bonds, weight loss and fiber diameters) were measured. Cellular viability was analyzed culturing 3T3 fibroblasts plated on the scaffolds and grown up to 7 days. The cells were fixed and observed with SEM or stained for DNA and F-actin and observed with confocal microscopy. In all scaffolds, the cells attached and spread with varying degrees. The evaluation of cell viability showed proliferation of cells until confluence in scaffolds crosslinked by glutaraldehyde and genipin; however the rate of growth in genipin crosslinked scaffolds was slow, recovering only by day five. The results using the dehydrothermal treatment were the less satisfactory. Our results show that glutaraldehyde treated fish gelatin is the most suitable substrate, of the three studied, for fibroblast adhesion and proliferation. - Highlights: ► Electrospinning of fish gelatin dissolved in both water or concentrated acetic acid ► Glutaraldehyde, genipin and dehydrothermal treatment effectively crosslink the fish gelatin fibers ► Fibroblasts effectively adhere to and propagate on all scaffolds ► Cell population is highest for glutaraldehyde crosslinked scaffolds ► Cells exhibit more filopodia and stress fibers on glutaraldehyde crosslinked scaffolds.

Polymethacrylate Coated Electrospun PHB Fibers as a Functionalized Platform for Bio-Diagnostics: Confirmation Analysis on the Presence of Immobilized IgG Antibodies against Dengue Virus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samira Hosseini

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this article, a combination of far field electrospinning (FFES and free-radical polymerization has been used to create a unique platform for protein immobilization via the physical attachment of biomolecules to the surface of the fiber mats. The large specific surface area of the fibers with its tailored chemistry provides a desirable platform for effective analyte-surface interaction. The detailed analysis of protein immobilization on a newly developed bio-receptive surface plays a vital role to gauge its advantages in bio-diagnostic applications. We relied on scanning electron microscopy (SEM, diameter range analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, along with thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA, water-in-air contact angle analysis (WCA, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, and atomic force microscopy (AFM to study our developed platforms and to provide valuable information regarding the presence of biomolecular entities on the surface. Detailed analyses of the fiber mats before and after antibody immobilization have shown obvious changes on the surface of the bioreceptive surface including: (i an additional peak corresponding to the presence of an antibody in TGA analysis; (ii extra FTIR peaks corresponding to the presence of antibodies on the coated fiber platforms; and (iii a clear alteration in surface roughness recorded by AFM analysis. Confirmation analyses on protein immobilization are of great importance as they underlay substantial grounds for various biosensing applications.

An aligned porous electrospun fibrous membrane with controlled drug delivery - An efficient strategy to accelerate diabetic wound healing with improved angiogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Xiaozhi; Han, Yiming; Wang, Jie; Jiang, Yuqi; Yi, Zhengfang; Xu, He; Ke, Qinfei

2018-04-01

A chronic wound in diabetic patients is usually characterized by poor angiogenesis and delayed wound closure. The exploration of efficient strategy to significantly improve angiogenesis in the diabetic wound bed and thereby accelerate wound healing is still a significant challenge. Herein, we reported a kind of aligned porous poly (l-lactic acid) (PlLA) electrospun fibrous membranes containing dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG)-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DS) for diabetic wound healing. The PlLA electrospun fibers aligned in a single direction and there were ellipse-shaped nano-pores in situ generated onto the surface of fibers, while the DS were well distributed in the fibers and the DMOG as well as Si ion could be controlled released from the nanopores on the fibers. The in vitro results revealed that the aligned porous composite membranes (DS-PL) could stimulate the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis-related gene expression of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) compared with the pure PlLA membranes. The in vivo study further demonstrated that the prepared DS-PL membranes significantly improved neo-vascularization, re-epithelialization and collagen formation as well as inhibited inflammatory reaction in the diabetic wound bed, which eventually stimulated the healing of the diabetic wound. Collectively, these results suggest that the combination of hierarchical structures (nanopores on the aligned fibers) with the controllable released DMOG drugs as well as Si ions from the membranes, which could create a synergetic effect on the rapid stimulation of angiogenesis in the diabetic wound bed, is a potential novel therapeutic strategy for highly efficient diabetic wound healing. A chronic wound in diabetic patients is usually characterized by the poor angiogenesis and the delayed wound closure. The main innovation of this study is to design a new kind of skin tissue engineered scaffold, aligned porous poly (l-lactic acid) (PlLA) electrospun

Electrospinning of microbial polyester for cell culture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Oh Hyeong [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, 1 Yangho-dong, Gumi, Gyeongbuk 730-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ik Sang [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, 1 Yangho-dong, Gumi, Gyeongbuk 730-701 (Korea, Republic of); Ko, Young-Gwang [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, 1 Yangho-dong, Gumi, Gyeongbuk 730-701 (Korea, Republic of); Meng, Wan [Department of Polymer Science, Kyungpook National University, 1370 Sankyuk-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-701 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Kyung-Hye [Department of Polymer Science, Kyungpook National University, 1370 Sankyuk-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Inn-Kyu [Department of Polymer Science, Kyungpook National University, 1370 Sankyuk-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-701 (Korea, Republic of); Ito, Yoshihiro [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology, KSP East 309, Sakado 3-2-1, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan)

2007-03-01

Biodegradable and biocompatible poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a copolymer of microbial polyester, was fabricated as a nanofibrous mat by electrospinning. The specific surface area and the porosity of electrospun PHBV nanofibrous mat were determined. When the mechanical properties of flat film and electrospun PHBV nanofibrous mats were investigated, both the tensile modulus and strength of electrospun PHBV were less than those of cast PHBV film. However, the elongation ratio of nanofiber mat was higher than that of the cast film. The structure of electrospun nanofibers using PHBV-trifluoroethanol solutions depended on the solution concentrations. When x-ray diffraction patterns of bulk PHBV before and after electrospinning were compared, the crystallinity of PHBV was not significantly affected by the electrospinning process. Chondrocytes adhered and grew on the electrospun PHBV nanofibrous mat better than on the cast PHBV film. Therefore, the electrospun PHBV was considered to be suitable for cell culture.

Effect of micropatterning induced surface hydrophobicity on drug release from electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers

Science.gov (United States)

Adepu, Shivakalyani; Gaydhane, Mrunalini K.; Kakunuri, Manohar; Sharma, Chandra S.; Khandelwal, Mudrika; Eichhorn, Stephen J.

2017-12-01

Sustained release and prevention of burst release for low half-life drugs like Diclofenac sodium is crucial to prevent drug related toxicity. Electrospun nanofibers have emerged recently as potential carrier materials for controlled and sustained drug release. Here, we present a facile method to prevent burst release by tuning the surface wettability through template assisted micropatterning of drug loaded electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers. A known amount of drug (Diclofenac sodium) was first mixed with CA and then electrospun in the form of a nanofabric. This as-spun network was hydrophilic in nature. However, when electrospinning was carried out through non-conducting templates, viz nylon meshes with 50 and 100 μm size openings, two kinds of hydrophobic micro-patterned CA nanofabrics were produced. In vitro transdermal testing of our nanofibrous mats was carried out; these tests were able to show that it would be possible to create a patch for transdermal drug release. Further, our results show that with optimized micro-patterned dimensions, a zero order sustained drug release of up to 12 h may be achieved for the transdermal system when compared to non-patterned samples. This patterning caused a change in the surface wettability, to a hydrophobic surface, resulting in a controlled diffusion of the hydrophilic drug. Patterning assisted in controlling the initial burst release, which is a significant finding especially for low half-life drugs.

Evaluation of proanthocyanidin-crosslinked electrospun gelatin nanofibers for drug delivering system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Chiung-Hua; Chi, Chin-Ying; Chen, Yueh-Sheng; Chen, Kuo-Yu; Chen, Pei-Lain; Yao, Chun-Hsu

2012-01-01

Electrospun nanofibers are excellent candidates for various biomedical applications. We successfully fabricated proanthocyanidin‐crosslinked gelatin electrospun nanofibers. Proanthocyanidin, a low cytotoxic collagen crosslinking reagent, increased the gelatin crosslinking percentage in the nanofibers from 53% to 64%. The addition of proanthocyanidin kept the nanofibers from swelling, and, thus, made the fibers more stable in the aqueous state. The compatibility and the release behavior of the drug in the nanofibers were examined using magnesium ascorbyl phosphate as the model drug. Proanthocyanidin also promoted drug loading and kept the drug release rate constant. These properties make the proanthocyanidin‐crosslinked gelatin nanofibers an excellent material for drug delivery. In the cell culture study, L929 fibroblast cells had a significantly higher proliferation rate when cultured with the gelatin/proanthocyanidin blended nanofibers. This characteristic showed that proanthocyanidin‐crosslinked gelatin electrospun nanofibers could potentially be employed as a wound healing material by increasing cell spreading and proliferation. - Highlights: ► Proanthocyanidin‐crosslinked gelatin nanofibers (GEL/PA) is synthesized. ► Proanthocyanidin promoted drug loading and kept the drug release rate constant. ► The GEL/PA nanofibers accelerate fibroblast cell proliferation. ► The GEL/PA nanofibers increase the drug loading efficiency.

Charge transport in the electrospun nanofiber composite membrane's three-dimensional fibrous structure

Science.gov (United States)

DeGostin, Matthew B.; Peracchio, Aldo A.; Myles, Timothy D.; Cassenti, Brice N.; Chiu, Wilson K. S.

2016-03-01

In this paper, a Fiber Network (FN) ion transport model is developed to simulate the three-dimensional fibrous microstructural morphology that results from the electrospinning membrane fabrication process. This model is able to approximate fiber layering within a membrane as well as membrane swelling due to water uptake. The discrete random fiber networks representing membranes are converted to resistor networks and solved for current flow and ionic conductivity. Model predictions are validated by comparison with experimental conductivity data from electrospun anion exchange membranes (AEM) and proton exchange membranes (PEM) for fuel cells as well as existing theories. The model is capable of predicting in-plane and thru-plane conductivity and takes into account detailed membrane characteristics, such as volume fraction, fiber diameter, fiber conductivity, and membrane layering, and as such may be used as a tool for advanced electrode design.

Electrospun propolis/polyurethane composite nanofibers for biomedical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jeong In [Department of Bio-nano System Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Pant, Hem Raj, E-mail: hempant@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of Bio-nano System Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Engineering Science and Humanities, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu (Nepal); Research Institute for Next Generation, Kalanki, Kathmandu (Nepal); Sim, Hyun-Jaung [Department of Bioactive Material Science, Research Center of Bioactive Material, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Chonbuk (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kang Min [Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Science, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Cheol Sang, E-mail: chskim@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of Bio-nano System Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-11-01

Tissue engineering requires functional polymeric membrane for adequate space for cell migration and attachment within the nanostructure. Therefore, biocompatible propolis loaded polyurethane (propolis/PU) nanofibers were successfully prepared using electrospinning of propolis/PU blend solution. Here, composite nanofibers were subjected to detailed analysis using electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and mechanical properties and water contact angle measurement. FE-SEM images revealed that the composite nanofibers became point-bonded with increasing amounts of propolis in the blend due to its adhesive properties. Incorporation of small amount of propolis through PU matrix could improve the hydrophilicity and mechanical strength of the fibrous membrane. In order to assay the cytocompatibility and cell behavior on the composite scaffolds, fibroblast cells were seeded on the matrix. Results suggest that the incorporation of propolis into PU fibers could increase its cell compatibility. Moreover, composite nanofibers have effective antibacterial activity. Therefore, as-synthesized nanocomposite fibrous mat has great potentiality in wound dressing and skin tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Sufficient amount of propolis is simply loaded through PU fibers. • Propolis increases the hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of PU fibers. • Composite mat shows excellent antibacterial activity. • Small amount of propolis can enhance the cell compatibility of PU fibers.

Electrospun propolis/polyurethane composite nanofibers for biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeong In; Pant, Hem Raj; Sim, Hyun-Jaung; Lee, Kang Min; Kim, Cheol Sang

2014-01-01

Tissue engineering requires functional polymeric membrane for adequate space for cell migration and attachment within the nanostructure. Therefore, biocompatible propolis loaded polyurethane (propolis/PU) nanofibers were successfully prepared using electrospinning of propolis/PU blend solution. Here, composite nanofibers were subjected to detailed analysis using electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and mechanical properties and water contact angle measurement. FE-SEM images revealed that the composite nanofibers became point-bonded with increasing amounts of propolis in the blend due to its adhesive properties. Incorporation of small amount of propolis through PU matrix could improve the hydrophilicity and mechanical strength of the fibrous membrane. In order to assay the cytocompatibility and cell behavior on the composite scaffolds, fibroblast cells were seeded on the matrix. Results suggest that the incorporation of propolis into PU fibers could increase its cell compatibility. Moreover, composite nanofibers have effective antibacterial activity. Therefore, as-synthesized nanocomposite fibrous mat has great potentiality in wound dressing and skin tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Sufficient amount of propolis is simply loaded through PU fibers. • Propolis increases the hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of PU fibers. • Composite mat shows excellent antibacterial activity. • Small amount of propolis can enhance the cell compatibility of PU fibers

Optimization of protein cross-linking in bicomponent electrospun scaffolds for therapeutic use

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papa, Antonio [Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy (IPCB-CNR), V.le Kennedy 54, Naples 80125 (Italy); IMAST SCaRL, Piazza Bovio 22, 80133 Naples (Italy); Guarino, Vincenzo, E-mail: vincenzo.guarino@cnr.it; Cirillo, Valentina; Oliviero, Olimpia; Ambrosio, Luigi [Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy (IPCB-CNR), V.le Kennedy 54, Naples 80125 (Italy)

2015-12-17

Bio-instructive electrospun scaffolds based on the combination of synthetic polymers, such as PCL or PLLA, and natural polymers (e.g., collagen) have been extensively investigated as temporary extracellular matrix (ECM) analogues able to support cell proliferation and stem cell differentiation for the regeneration of several tissues. The growing use of natural polymers as carrier of bioactive molecules is introducing new ideas for the design of polymeric drug delivery systems based on electrospun fibers with improved bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy and programmed drug release. In particular, the release mechanism is driven by the use of water soluble proteins (i.e., collagen, gelatin) which fully degrade in in vitro microenvironment, thus delivering the active principles. However, these protein are generally rapidly digested by enzymes (i.e., collagenase) produced by many different cell types, both in vivo and in vitro with significant drawbacks in tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery. Here, we aim at investigating different chemical strategies to improve the in vitro stability and mechanical strength of scaffolds against enzymatic degradation, by modifying the biodegradation rates of proteins embedded in bicomponent fibers. By comparing scaffolds treated by different cross-linking agents (i.e., GC, EDC, BDDGE), we have provided an extensive morphological/chemical/physical characterization via SEM and TGA to identify the best conditions to control drug release via protein degradation from bicomponent fibers without compromising in vitro cell response.

Optimization of protein cross-linking in bicomponent electrospun scaffolds for therapeutic use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papa, Antonio; Guarino, Vincenzo; Cirillo, Valentina; Oliviero, Olimpia; Ambrosio, Luigi

2015-01-01

Bio-instructive electrospun scaffolds based on the combination of synthetic polymers, such as PCL or PLLA, and natural polymers (e.g., collagen) have been extensively investigated as temporary extracellular matrix (ECM) analogues able to support cell proliferation and stem cell differentiation for the regeneration of several tissues. The growing use of natural polymers as carrier of bioactive molecules is introducing new ideas for the design of polymeric drug delivery systems based on electrospun fibers with improved bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy and programmed drug release. In particular, the release mechanism is driven by the use of water soluble proteins (i.e., collagen, gelatin) which fully degrade in in vitro microenvironment, thus delivering the active principles. However, these protein are generally rapidly digested by enzymes (i.e., collagenase) produced by many different cell types, both in vivo and in vitro with significant drawbacks in tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery. Here, we aim at investigating different chemical strategies to improve the in vitro stability and mechanical strength of scaffolds against enzymatic degradation, by modifying the biodegradation rates of proteins embedded in bicomponent fibers. By comparing scaffolds treated by different cross-linking agents (i.e., GC, EDC, BDDGE), we have provided an extensive morphological/chemical/physical characterization via SEM and TGA to identify the best conditions to control drug release via protein degradation from bicomponent fibers without compromising in vitro cell response

Optimization of protein cross-linking in bicomponent electrospun scaffolds for therapeutic use

Science.gov (United States)

Papa, Antonio; Guarino, Vincenzo; Cirillo, Valentina; Oliviero, Olimpia; Ambrosio, Luigi

2015-12-01

Bio-instructive electrospun scaffolds based on the combination of synthetic polymers, such as PCL or PLLA, and natural polymers (e.g., collagen) have been extensively investigated as temporary extracellular matrix (ECM) analogues able to support cell proliferation and stem cell differentiation for the regeneration of several tissues. The growing use of natural polymers as carrier of bioactive molecules is introducing new ideas for the design of polymeric drug delivery systems based on electrospun fibers with improved bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy and programmed drug release. In particular, the release mechanism is driven by the use of water soluble proteins (i.e., collagen, gelatin) which fully degrade in in vitro microenvironment, thus delivering the active principles. However, these protein are generally rapidly digested by enzymes (i.e., collagenase) produced by many different cell types, both in vivo and in vitro with significant drawbacks in tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery. Here, we aim at investigating different chemical strategies to improve the in vitro stability and mechanical strength of scaffolds against enzymatic degradation, by modifying the biodegradation rates of proteins embedded in bicomponent fibers. By comparing scaffolds treated by different cross-linking agents (i.e., GC, EDC, BDDGE), we have provided an extensive morphological/chemical/physical characterization via SEM and TGA to identify the best conditions to control drug release via protein degradation from bicomponent fibers without compromising in vitro cell response.

Electrospun materials for affinity-based engineering and drug delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sill, T J; Von Recum, H A

2015-01-01

Electrospinning is a process which can quickly and cheaply create materials of high surface to volume and aspect ratios from many materials, however in application toward drug delivery this can be a strong disadvantage as well. Diffusion of drug is proportional to the thickness of that device. In moving from macro to micro to nano-sized electrospun materials drug release rates change to profiles that are too fast to be therapeutically beneficial. In this work we use molecular interactions to further control the rate of release beyond that capable of diffusion alone. To do this we create materials with molecular pockets, which can 'hold' therapeutic drugs through a reversible interaction such as a host/guest complexation. Through these complexes we show we are able to impact delivery of drug from electrospun materials, and also apply them in tissue engineering for the reversible presentation of biomolecules on a fiber surface. (paper)

Conductivity and touch-sensor application for atomic layer deposition ZnO and Al:ZnO on nylon nonwoven fiber mats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sweet, William J.; Oldham, Christopher J.; Parsons, Gregory N.

2015-01-01

Flexible electronics and wearable technology represent a novel and growing market for next generation devices. In this work, the authors deposit conductive zinc oxide films by atomic layer deposition onto nylon-6 nonwoven fiber mats and spun-cast films, and quantify the impact that deposition temperature, coating thickness, and aluminum doping have on the conductivity of the coated substrates. The authors produce aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) coated fibers with conductivity of 230 S/cm, which is ∼6× more conductive than ZnO coated fibers. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate AZO coated fibers maintain 62% of their conductivity after being bent around a 3 mm radius cylinder. As an example application, the authors fabricate an “all-fiber” pressure sensor using AZO coated nylon-6 electrodes. The sensor signal scales exponentially under small applied force (<50 g/cm 2 ), yielding a ∼10 6 × current change under 200 g/cm 2 . This lightweight, flexible, and breathable touch/force sensor could function, for example, as an electronically active nonwoven for personal or engineered system analysis and diagnostics

Morphology impact on oxygen sensing ability of Ru(dpp){sub 3}Cl{sub 2} containing biocompatible polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Susan Y.; Harrison, Benjamin S., E-mail: bharriso@wakehealth.edu

2015-08-01

Especially for tissue engineering applications, the diffusion of oxygen is a critical factor affecting spatial distribution and migration of cells. The cellular oxygen demand also fluctuates depending on tissue type and growth phase. Sensors that determine dissolved oxygen levels under biological conditions provide critical metabolic information about the growing cells as well as the state of the tissue culture within the tissue scaffold. This work focused on the effect of the scaffold morphology on the oxygen sensing response time. It was found that electrospun scaffolds had a faster oxygen-sensing response time than their bulk film counterparts. Tris-(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium (II) dichloride doped electrospun fiber mats of polycaprolactone (PCL) were found to be the most responsive to the presence of oxygen, followed by polyethylene (PEO) glycol mats. Systems containing poly vinyl alcohol were found to be the least responsive. This would suggest that, out of all the polymers tested, PCL and PEO are the most suitable biomaterials for oxygen-sensing applications. - Highlights: • Ru(DPP){sub 3}Cl{sub 2} was blended into common biocompatible polymers such as PEO, PCL, and PVA. • Oxygen sensing was more responsive when polymers were electrospun compared to bulk. • Electrospun PEO and PCL with Ru(dpp){sub 3}Cl{sub 2} showed similar oxygen sensing responses. • PVA showed a slight improvement in oxygen sensing rate when electrospun.

Biocidal Activity of Plasma Modified Electrospun Polysulfone Mats Functionalized with Polyethyleneimine-Capped Silver Nanoparticles

KAUST Repository

Schiffman, Jessica D.; Wang, Yue; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Elimelech, Menachem

2011-01-01

loss of bacteria (Escherichia coli) viability. Time-dependent bacterial cytotoxicity studies indicate that the optimized PSf-AgNP mats exhibit a high level of inactivation against both Gram negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Gram positive bacteria

Sciatic nerve regeneration in rats by a promising electrospun collagen/poly(ε-caprolactone nerve conduit with tailored degradation rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang Xinquan

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To cope with the limitations faced by autograft acquisitions particularly for multiple nerve injuries, artificial nerve conduit has been introduced by researchers as a substitute for autologous nerve graft for the easy specification and availability for mass production. In order to best mimic the structures and components of autologous nerve, great efforts have been made to improve the designation of nerve conduits either from materials or fabrication techniques. Electrospinning is an easy and versatile technique that has recently been used to fabricate fibrous tissue-engineered scaffolds which have great similarity to the extracellular matrix on fiber structure. Results In this study we fabricated a collagen/poly(ε-caprolactone (collagen/PCL fibrous scaffold by electrospinning and explored its application as nerve guide substrate or conduit in vitro and in vivo. Material characterizations showed this electrospun composite material which was made of submicron fibers possessed good hydrophilicity and flexibility. In vitro study indicated electrospun collagen/PCL fibrous meshes promoted Schwann cell adhesion, elongation and proliferation. In vivo test showed electrospun collagen/PCL porous nerve conduits successfully supported nerve regeneration through an 8 mm sciatic nerve gap in adult rats, achieving similar electrophysiological and muscle reinnervation results as autografts. Although regenerated nerve fibers were still in a pre-mature stage 4 months postoperatively, the implanted collagen/PCL nerve conduits facilitated more axons regenerating through the conduit lumen and gradually degraded which well matched the nerve regeneration rate. Conclusions All the results demonstrated this collagen/PCL nerve conduit with tailored degradation rate fabricated by electrospinning could be an efficient alternative to autograft for peripheral nerve regeneration research. Due to its advantage of high surface area for cell attachment, it

Electrospinning polyelectrolyte complexes: pH-responsive fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Boas, Mor; Gradys, Arkadiusz; Vasilyev, Gleb; Burman, Michael; Zussman, Eyal

2015-03-07

Fibers were electrospun from a solution comprised of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, in efforts to achieve highly confined macromolecular packaging. A stoichiometric ratio of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(acrylic acid) solution was mixed in an ethanol-water co-solvent. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of electrospun fibers demonstrated no indication of glass transition, Tg. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the fibers as a function of temperature, demonstrated an amidation process at lower temperature compared to cast film. Polarized FTIR indicated a preference of the functional groups to be perpendicular to the fiber axis. These results imply formation of mixed phase fibers with enhanced conditions for intermolecular interactions, due to the highly aligned and confined assembly of the macromolecules. The tunable intermolecular interactions between the functional groups of the polyelectrolytes, impact pH-driven, reversible swelling-deswelling of the fibers. The degree of ionization of PAA at pH 5.5 and pH 1.8 varied from 85% to 18%, correspondingly, causing transformation of ionic interactions to hydrogen bonding between the functional groups. The chemical change led to a massive water diffusion of 500% by weight and to a marked increase of 400% in fiber diameter, at a rate of 0.50 μm s(-1). These results allow for manipulation and tailoring of key fiber properties for tissue engineering, membranes, and artificial muscle applications.

Stretchable Fluorescent Polyfluorene/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber Blend Electrospun Fibers through Physical Interaction and Geometrical Confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Hui-Ching; Chen, Jung-Yao; Lee, Wen-Ya; Bera, Debaditya; Chen, Wen-Chang

2018-03-01

Stretchable light-emitting polymers are important for wearable electronics; however, the development of intrinsic stretchable light-emitting materials with great performance under large applied strain is the most critical challenge. Herein, this study demonstrates the fabrication of stretchable fluorescent poly[(9,9-bis(3'-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene)]/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (PFN/NBR) blend nanofibers using the uniaxial electrospinning technique. The physical interaction of PFN with NBR and the geometrical confinement of nanofibers are employed to reduce PFN aggregation, leading to the high photoluminescence quantum yield of 35.7%. Such fiber mat film shows stable blue emission at the 50% strain for 200 stretching/release cycles, which has potential applications in smart textiles. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization and antibacterial properties of porous fibers containing silver ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Zhaoyang; Fan, Chenxu; Tang, Xiaopeng; Zhao, Jianghui; Song, Yanhua; Shao, Zhongbiao [National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Engineering, Soochow University, 199 Ren-ai Road, Suzhou 215123 (China); Xu, Lan, E-mail: lanxu@suda.edu.cn [National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Engineering, Soochow University, 199 Ren-ai Road, Suzhou 215123 (China); Nantong Textile Institute of Soochow University, 58 Chong-chuan Road, Nantong 226018 (China)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • Antibacterial electrospun PLA porous fibers containing silver ions were prepared. • Porous structure and porosity of PLA/Ag{sup +} porous fibers were investigated. • The antibacterial effects of PLA/Ag{sup +} porous fibers were studied. • The released mechanism of silver ions in the porous fibers was illustrated. • The porous structure could improve the antibacterial properties. - Abstract: Materials prepared on the base of bioactive silver compounds have become more and more popular. In the present work, the surface morphology, structure and properties, of electrospun Polylactide Polylactic acid (PLA) porous fibers containing various ratios of silver ions were investigated by a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), universal testing machine, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and et al. The biological activities of the proposed porous fibers were discussed in view of the released silver ions concentration. Antibacterial properties of these porous fibers were studied using two bacterial strains: Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Results of the antibacterial testing suggested that PLA porous fibers containing silver ions could be used as potent antibacterial wound dressing materials in the biomedical field.

Characterization and antibacterial properties of porous fibers containing silver ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Zhaoyang; Fan, Chenxu; Tang, Xiaopeng; Zhao, Jianghui; Song, Yanhua; Shao, Zhongbiao; Xu, Lan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Antibacterial electrospun PLA porous fibers containing silver ions were prepared. • Porous structure and porosity of PLA/Ag + porous fibers were investigated. • The antibacterial effects of PLA/Ag + porous fibers were studied. • The released mechanism of silver ions in the porous fibers was illustrated. • The porous structure could improve the antibacterial properties. - Abstract: Materials prepared on the base of bioactive silver compounds have become more and more popular. In the present work, the surface morphology, structure and properties, of electrospun Polylactide Polylactic acid (PLA) porous fibers containing various ratios of silver ions were investigated by a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), universal testing machine, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and et al. The biological activities of the proposed porous fibers were discussed in view of the released silver ions concentration. Antibacterial properties of these porous fibers were studied using two bacterial strains: Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Results of the antibacterial testing suggested that PLA porous fibers containing silver ions could be used as potent antibacterial wound dressing materials in the biomedical field.

Glycolysis of carbon fiber-epoxy unidirectional mat catalysed by sodium hydroxide

Science.gov (United States)

Zaini, Mariana Binti Mohd; Badri, Khairiah Haji

2014-09-01

This study was conducted to recycle carbon fibre-epoxy (CFRP) composite in woven sheet/ mat form. The CFRP was recycled through glycolysis with polyethlyene glycol (PEG 200) as the solvent. The CFRP was loaded into the solvent at a ratio of 4:1 (w/w). PEG200 was diluted with water to a ratio of 80:20 (v/v). This reaction was catalysed by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution with varying concentrations at 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9% (w/v). The glycolysis was conducted at 180-190 °C. The recovered CF (rCF) was analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) while the degraded solution was analysed using FTIR and the epoxy content was determined. The FTIR spectrum of the rCF exhibited the disappearance of the COC peak belonged to epoxy and supported by the SEM micrographs that showed clear rCF. On the other hand, the analysed filtrate detected the disappearance of oxygen peak element in the EDX spectrum for all rCF samples. This gave an indication that the epoxy resin has been removed from the surface of the carbon fiber.

Glycolysis of carbon fiber-epoxy unidirectional mat catalysed by sodium hydroxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaini, Mariana Binti Mohd [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Badri, Khairiah Haji [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia and Polymer Research Center, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43 (Malaysia)

2014-09-03

This study was conducted to recycle carbon fibre-epoxy (CFRP) composite in woven sheet/ mat form. The CFRP was recycled through glycolysis with polyethlyene glycol (PEG 200) as the solvent. The CFRP was loaded into the solvent at a ratio of 4:1 (w/w). PEG200 was diluted with water to a ratio of 80:20 (v/v). This reaction was catalysed by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution with varying concentrations at 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9% (w/v). The glycolysis was conducted at 180-190 °C. The recovered CF (rCF) was analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) while the degraded solution was analysed using FTIR and the epoxy content was determined. The FTIR spectrum of the rCF exhibited the disappearance of the COC peak belonged to epoxy and supported by the SEM micrographs that showed clear rCF. On the other hand, the analysed filtrate detected the disappearance of oxygen peak element in the EDX spectrum for all rCF samples. This gave an indication that the epoxy resin has been removed from the surface of the carbon fiber.

Differentiation of neuronal stem cells into motor neurons using electrospun poly-L-lactic acid/gelatin scaffold.

Science.gov (United States)

Binan, Loïc; Tendey, Charlène; De Crescenzo, Gregory; El Ayoubi, Rouwayda; Ajji, Abdellah; Jolicoeur, Mario

2014-01-01

Neural stem cells (NSCs) provide promising therapeutic potential for cell replacement therapy in spinal cord injury (SCI). However, high increases of cell viability and poor control of cell differentiation remain major obstacles. In this study, we have developed a non-woven material made of co-electrospun fibers of poly L-lactic acid and gelatin with a degradation rate and mechanical properties similar to peripheral nerve tissue and investigated their effect on cell survival and differentiation into motor neuronal lineages through the controlled release of retinoic acid (RA) and purmorphamine. Engineered Neural Stem-Like Cells (NSLCs) seeded on these fibers, with and without the instructive cues, differentiated into β-III-tubulin, HB-9, Islet-1, and choactase-positive motor neurons by immunostaining, in response to the release of the biomolecules. In addition, the bioactive material not only enhanced the differentiation into motor neuronal lineages but also promoted neurite outgrowth. This study elucidated that a combination of electrospun fiber scaffolds, neural stem cells, and controlled delivery of instructive cues could lead to the development of a better strategy for peripheral nerve injury repair. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical and physical properties of wood fiber-reinforced, sulfur-based wood composites

Science.gov (United States)

Chung-Yun Hse; Ben S. Bryant

1993-01-01

Sulfur-based composite was made from sulfur impregnated, oven dried, wet-formed fiber mats. The fiber mats consisted of a 50/50 mixture of recycled newsprint pulp and mechanical hardwood pulp from several species made from chips in a laboratory refiner. The thickness of the composites was 0.125 inch and the specific gravity of the unimpregnated fiber mat was 0.2. The...

A Simple Closed-Form Expression For Calculation Of The Electrospun Nanofiber Diameter By Using ABC Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cagdas Yilmaz

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The producing of nanofiber tissue scaffolds is quite important for enhancing success in tissue engineering. Electrospinning method is used frequently to produce of these scaffolds. In this study a simple and novel expression derived by using artificial bee colony ABC optimization algorithm is presented to calculate the average fiber diameter AFD of the electrospun gelatinbioactive glass GtBG scaffold. The diameter of the fiber produced by electrospinning technique depends on the various parameters like process solution and environmental parameters. The experimental results previously published in the literature which include one solution parameter BG content as well as two process parameters tip to collector distance and solution flow rate related to producing of electrospun GtBG nanofiber have been used for the optimization process. At first the AFD expression has been constructed with the use of the solution and process parameters and then the unknown coefficients belonging to this expression have been accurately determined by using the ABC algorithm. From 19 experimental data 15 ones are used for the optimization phase while the other 4 data are utilized in the verification phase. The values of average percentage error between the calculated average fiber diameters and experimental ones are achieved as 2.2 and 5.7 for the optimization and verification phases respectively. The results obtained from the proposed expression have also been confirmed by comparing with those of AFD expression reported elsewhere. It is illustrated that the AFD of electrospun GtBG can be accurately calculated by the expression proposed here without requiring any complicated or sophisticated knowledge of the mathematical and physical background.

Nanocarbons in Electrospun Polymeric Nanomats for Tissue Engineering: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Scaffaro

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Electrospinning is a versatile process technology, exploited for the production of fibers with varying diameters, ranging from nano- to micro-scale, particularly useful for a wide range of applications. Among these, tissue engineering is particularly relevant to this technology since electrospun fibers offer topological structure features similar to the native extracellular matrix, thus providing an excellent environment for the growth of cells and tissues. Recently, nanocarbons have been emerging as promising fillers for biopolymeric nanofibrous scaffolds. In fact, they offer interesting physicochemical properties due to their small size, large surface area, high electrical conductivity and ability to interface/interact with the cells/tissues. Nevertheless, their biocompatibility is currently under debate and strictly correlated to their surface characteristics, in terms of chemical composition, hydrophilicity and roughness. Among the several nanofibrous scaffolds prepared by electrospinning, biopolymer/nanocarbons systems exhibit huge potential applications, since they combine the features of the matrix with those determined by the nanocarbons, such as conductivity and improved bioactivity. Furthermore, combining nanocarbons and electrospinning allows designing structures with engineered patterns at both nano- and microscale level. This article presents a comprehensive review of various types of electrospun polymer-nanocarbon currently used for tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, the differences among graphene, carbon nanotubes, nanodiamonds and fullerenes and their effect on the ultimate properties of the polymer-based nanofibrous scaffolds is elucidated and critically reviewed.

Surface hydrophilicity of PLGA fibers governs in vitro mineralization and osteogenic differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, Minnah; Arora, Aditya; Katti, Dhirendra S., E-mail: dsk@iitk.ac.in

2014-12-01

Interfacial properties of biomaterials play an important role in governing their interaction with biological microenvironments. This work investigates the role of surface hydrophilicity of electrospun poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) fibers in determining their biological response. For this, PLGA is blended with varying amounts of Pluronic®F-108 and electrospun to fabricate microfibers with varying surface hydrophilicity. The results of mineralization study in simulated body fluid (SBF) demonstrate a significant enhancement in mineralization with an increase in surface hydrophilicity. While presence of serum proteins in SBF reduces absolute mineral content, mineralization continues to be higher on samples with higher surface hydrophilicity. The results from in vitro cell culture studies demonstrate a marked improvement in mesenchymal stem cell —adhesion, elongation, proliferation, infiltration, osteogenic differentiation and matrix mineralization on hydrophilized fibers. Therefore, hydrophilized PLGA fibers are advantageous both in terms of mineralization and elicitation of favorable cell response. Since most of the polymeric materials being used in orthopedics are hydrophobic in nature, the results from this study have strong implications in the future design of interfaces of such hydrophobic materials. In addition, the work proposes a facile method for the modification of electrospun fibers of hydrophobic polymers by blending with a poloxamer for improved bone tissue regeneration. - Highlights: • Surface hydrophilicity of PLGA modulated by blending with Pluronic F-108. • Hydrophilized fibers support better in vitro mineralization. • Mineralization trends retained in the presence of adsorbed serum proteins. • Hydrophilized fibers promote better cell adhesion and proliferation. • Hydrophilized fibers also enable better osteogenic differentiation.

Thermal conductivity of electrospun polyethylene nanofibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jian; Zhang, Qian; Mayo, Anthony; Ni, Zhonghua; Yi, Hong; Chen, Yunfei; Mu, Richard; Bellan, Leon M; Li, Deyu

2015-10-28

We report on the structure-thermal transport property relation of individual polyethylene nanofibers fabricated by electrospinning with different deposition parameters. Measurement results show that the nanofiber thermal conductivity depends on the electric field used in the electrospinning process, with a general trend of higher thermal conductivity for fibers prepared with stronger electric field. Nanofibers produced at a 45 kV electrospinning voltage and a 150 mm needle-collector distance could have a thermal conductivity of up to 9.3 W m(-1) K(-1), over 20 times higher than the typical bulk value. Micro-Raman characterization suggests that the enhanced thermal conductivity is due to the highly oriented polymer chains and enhanced crystallinity in the electrospun nanofibers.

Chitosan-rectorite nanospheres immobilized on polystyrene fibrous mats via alternate electrospinning/electrospraying techniques for copper ions adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Hu; Huang, Mengtian; Yi, Yang; Li, Zhenshun; Zhan, Yingfei; Chen, Jiajia; Wu, Yang; Shi, Xiaowen; Deng, Hongbing; Du, Yumin

2017-12-01

Chitosan (CS), as a kind of well characterized biopolymer, has been used for heavy metal adsorption due to its low cost and high efficacy. However, when used directly, chitosan particles had small surface area and weak mechanical strength which is unfavorable to metal adsorption and reused. Besides, it cannot be easily recycled that may cause a secondary pollution. In this paper, CS and layered silicate rectorite (REC) were fully mixed and the mixtures were subsequently electrosprayed nano-sized spheres, which were immobilized on the surface of electrospun polystyrene (PS) mats for metal adsorption. The morphology analysis taken from SEM confirmed that CS-REC nanospheres were loaded on the surface of PS fibrous mats. Small Angle X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the interlayer distance of REC in composite mats was enlarged by the intercalation of CS chains; such structure meant bigger surface area which was helpful for metal adsorption. The data of contact angle implied that PS mats coated with CS-REC nanospheres exhibited better hydrophilicity than PS mats, which was conductive to adsorption rate. Besides, the copper ions adsorption of composite mats was tested at different conditions including the adsorption time, the initial pH and the initial concentration of copper ion. The results demonstrated that PS mats coated with CS-REC nanospheres had the adsorption capacity up to 134 mg/g. In addition, the addition of REC containing Ca2+ could also improve the metal adsorption because of cation exchange. The desorption assay indicated that PS mats immobilized with CS and CS-REC still kept high adsorption ability which retained 74% and 78% after three adsorption-desorption cycles.

The influence of zirconia precursor/binding polymer mass ratio in the intermediate electrospun composite fibers on the phase transformation of final zirconia nanofibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodaev, Vyacheslav V.; Zhigachev, Andrey O.; Korenkov, Viktor V.; Golovin, Yuri I. [Institute for Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials, Tambov State University, Internatsionalnaya Str. 33, 392000, Tambov (Russian Federation)

2016-09-15

Nanofibrous zirconia was fabricated by calcination of electrospun zirconium oxychloride/polyethylene oxide (PEO) composite fibers with different mass fraction of the components. ZrO{sub 2} nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption at 77 K, and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). It was revealed that increase in ZrOCl{sub 2}/PEO mass ratio above the threshold value significantly decreases tetragonal phase (t-ZrO{sub 2}) content and increases monoclinic phase (m-ZrO{sub 2}) content in final ceramic nanofibers. Distinct t-ZrO{sub 2} → m-ZrO{sub 2} transformation takes place when average ZrO{sub 2} grain size approaches to 30 nm. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

New poly(ester urea) derived from L-leucine: Electrospun scaffolds loaded with antibacterial drugs and enzymes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Díaz, Angélica; Valle, Luis J. del [Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Tugushi, David; Katsarava, Ramaz [Institute of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Agricultural University of Georgia, 13 km. David Aghmashenebeli Alley, Tblisi 0131, Georgia (United States); Puiggalí, Jordi, E-mail: Jordi.Puiggali@upc.edu [Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain)

2015-01-01

Electrospun scaffolds from an amino acid containing poly(ester urea) (PEU) were developed as promising materials in the biomedical field and specifically in tissue engineering applications. The selected poly(ester urea) was obtained with a high yield and molecular weight by reaction of phosgene with a bis(α-aminoacyl)-α,ω-diol-diester monomer. The polymer having L-leucine, 1,6-hexanediol and carbonic acid units had a semicrystalline character and relatively high glass transition and melting temperatures. Furthermore it was highly soluble in most organic solvents, an interesting feature that facilitated the electrospinning process and the effective incorporation of drugs with bactericidal activity (e.g. biguanide derivatives such as clorhexidine and polyhexamethylenebiguanide) and enzymes (e.g. α-chymotrypsin) that accelerated the degradation process. Continuous micro/nanofibers were obtained under a wide range of processing conditions, being diameters of electrospun fibers dependent on the drug and solvent used. Poly(ester urea) samples were degradable in media containing lipases and proteinases but the degradation rate was highly dependent on the surface area, being specifically greater for scaffolds with respect to films. The high hydrophobicity of new scaffolds had repercussions on enzymatic degradability since different weight loss rates were found depending on how samples were exposed to the medium (e.g. forced or non-forced immersion). New scaffolds were biocompatible, as demonstrated by adhesion and proliferation assays performed with fibroblast and epithelial cells. - Highlights: • Electrospun scaffolds from a biodegradable poly(ester urea) have been prepared. • Scaffolds were effectively loaded with bactericide agents. • Enzymatic degradability of the L-leucine derived poly(ester urea) was demonstrated. • Enzymes that accelerate degradation were incorporated in the electrospun fibers. • Cell adhesion/proliferation assays demonstrated

Electrospinning of oriented and nonoriented ultrafine fibers of biopolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, David

2005-07-01

Chitosan has long been known as a biocompatible and biodegradable material suitable for tissue engineering applications. Unfortunately, conventional chitosan solutions cannot be used for electrospinning due to their high conductivity, viscosity and surface tension. We have developed a method to produce clear chitosan solutions with conductivities, surface tension and viscosities that facilitate their processing into micron and submicron fibers via electrospinning. Acetic acid, carbon dioxide and organic solvents are key ingredients in preparing the chitosan solutions. Oriented and non oriented chitosan fibers were produced with the ultimate goal of designing a suitable tissue engineering scaffold. Circularly oriented, continuous, and aligned nanofibers were produced via this technique in the form of a thin membrane or fibrous "mat". Chitosan fiber diameters ranged from 5 micrometers down to 100 nanometers. The structure and mechanical properties of oriented and randomly aligned chitosan fiber deposits could potentially be exploited for cartilage tissue engineering. Ultrafine fibers of starch acetate (SA) also were prepared by the electrospinning process. In this study, solvent mixtures based on DMF, DMSO, pyrindine, acetic acid, acetone, THF, DMC, chloroform were used. A two-solvent formulation was used to study the effect of viscosity, surface tension, and conductivity to the fiber diameter. Also, water and ethanol were used to decrease the boiling point of the solvent, and to make bundled fibers. Several techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, conductmetry, viscometry, and tensiometry were used in this study. The results showed that the combined effects of viscosity, surface tension, and conductivity are of great importance in controlling the diameter of the fibers. We were able to produce SA fibers that was less than 40 nm in diameter. The dependence of fiber diameter on flow-rate, electric field and solvents also was investigated. A rotating disk and a

Rationalization of specific structure formation in electrospinning process: Study on nano-fibrous PCL- and PLGA-based scaffolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Saeed, Mahdi; Mirzadeh, Hamid; Zandi, Mojgan; Irani, Shiva; Barzin, Jalal

2015-12-01

Formation of specific structures on poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL) and poly lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) based electrospun mats is rationalized and the effect of interactive parameters; high voltage and flow rate on unique surface topography is evaluated. By increasing the collecting time in electrospinning process and enhancing fiber to fiber repulsion, surface characteristics of mats changes from nano- to micro-topography. In this study surface topography of the fabricated mats based on PCL and PLGA were assessed using AFM and SEM techniques to display the distinct phenomenon occurs on collected random fibers. In this research the rationale behind the formation of bump and flower like structures on fibrous mats was discussed. Because of great potential application of the fabricated substrates in the fields of medical purposes, cell-matrix interaction was evaluated and in vitro biological test with human dermal fibroblast and mouse L929 fibroblast cells was performed to study the cell responses to different roughness of nano-fibers collected at different time intervals. Our results show that after 7 days, cell proliferation is improved on PCL collected at 40 min in the case of human fibroblast cells and on PCL collected in 70 min in the case of L929 mouse fibroblast cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cell-matrix mechanical interaction in electrospun polymeric scaffolds for tissue engineering: Implications for scaffold design and performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Kelsey M; Bhaw-Luximon, Archana; Jhurry, Dhanjay

2017-03-01

Engineered scaffolds produced by electrospinning of biodegradable polymers offer a 3D, nanofibrous environment with controllable structural, chemical, and mechanical properties that mimic the extracellular matrix of native tissues and have shown promise for a number of tissue engineering applications. The microscale mechanical interactions between cells and electrospun matrices drive cell behaviors including migration and differentiation that are critical to promote tissue regeneration. Recent developments in understanding these mechanical interactions in electrospun environments are reviewed, with emphasis on how fiber geometry and polymer structure impact on the local mechanical properties of scaffolds, how altering the micromechanics cues cell behaviors, and how, in turn, cellular and extrinsic forces exerted on the matrix mechanically remodel an electrospun scaffold throughout tissue development. Techniques used to measure and visualize these mechanical interactions are described. We provide a critical outlook on technological gaps that must be overcome to advance the ability to design, assess, and manipulate the mechanical environment in electrospun scaffolds toward constructs that may be successfully applied in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Tissue engineering requires design of scaffolds that interact with cells to promote tissue development. Electrospinning is a promising technique for fabricating fibrous, biomimetic scaffolds. Effects of electrospun matrix microstructure and biochemical properties on cell behavior have been extensively reviewed previously; here, we consider cell-matrix interaction from a mechanical perspective. Micromechanical properties as a driver of cell behavior has been well established in planar substrates, but more recently, many studies have provided new insights into mechanical interaction in fibrillar, electrospun environments. This review provides readers with an overview of how electrospun scaffold mechanics and

CsPbBr3 Perovskite Quantum Dots-Based Monolithic Electrospun Fiber Membrane as an Ultrastable and Ultrasensitive Fluorescent Sensor in Aqueous Medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuanwei; Zhu, Yihua; Huang, Jianfei; Cai, Jin; Zhu, Jingrun; Yang, Xiaoling; Shen, Jianhua; Jiang, Hao; Li, Chunzhong

2016-11-03

Perovskite quantum dots with excellent optical properties and robust durability stand as an appealing and desirable candidate for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based fluorescence detection, a powerful technique featuring excellent accuracy and convenience. In this work, a monolithic superhydrophobic polystyrene fiber membrane with CsPbBr 3 perovskite quantum dots encapsulated within (CPBQDs/PS FM) was prepared via one-step electrospinning. Coupling CPBQDs with PS matrix, this CPBQDs/PS FM composite exhibits high quantum yields (∼91%), narrow half-peak width (∼16 nm), nearly 100% fluorescence retention after being exposed to water for 10 days and 79.80% fluorescence retention after 365 nm UV-light (1 mW/cm 2 ) illumination for 60 h. Thanks to the outstanding optical property of CPBQDs, an ultralow detection limit of 0.01 ppm was obtained for Rhodamine 6G (R6G) detection, with the FRET efficiency calculated to be 18.80% in 1 ppm R6G aqueous solution. Electrospun as well-designed fiber membranes, CPBQDs/PS FM composite also possesses good tailorability and recyclability, showing exciting potential for future implementation into practical applications.

Electrospun meshes possessing region-wise differences in fiber orientation, diameter, chemistry and mechanical properties for engineering bone-ligament-bone tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Samavedi, Satyavrata; Vaidya, Prasad; Gaddam, Prudhvidhar; Whittington, Abby R; Goldstein, Aaron S

2014-12-01

Although bone-patellar tendon-bone (B-PT-B) autografts are the gold standard for repair of anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, they suffer from drawbacks such as donor site morbidity and limited supply. Engineered tissues modeled after B-PT-B autografts are promising alternatives because they have the potential to regenerate connective tissue and facilitate osseointegration. Towards the long-term goal of regenerating ligaments and their bony insertions, the objective of this study was to construct 2D meshes and 3D cylindrical composite scaffolds - possessing simultaneous region-wise differences in fiber orientation, diameter, chemistry and mechanical properties - by electrospinning two different polymers from off-set spinnerets. Using a dual drum collector, 2D meshes consisting of an aligned polycaprolactone (PCL) fiber region, randomly oriented poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) fiber region and a transition region (comprised of both PCL and PLGA fibers) were prepared, and region-wise differences were confirmed by microscopy and tensile testing. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) cultured on these meshes exhibited random orientations and low aspect ratios on the random PLGA regions, and high aspect ratios and alignment on the aligned PCL regions. Next, meshes containing an aligned PCL region flanked by two transition regions and two randomly oriented PLGA regions were prepared and processed into 3D cylindrical composite scaffolds using an interpenetrating photo-crosslinkable polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel to recapitulate the shape of B-PT-B autografts. Tensile testing indicated that cylindrical composites were mechanically robust, and eventually failed due to stress concentration in the aligned PCL region. In summary, this study demonstrates a process to fabricate electrospun meshes possessing region-wise differences in properties that can elicit region-dependent cell responses, and be readily processed into scaffolds with the shape of B-PT-B autografts. �

A new class of boron nitride fibers with tunable properties by combining an electrospinning process and the polymer-derived ceramics route

Science.gov (United States)

Salles, Vincent; Bernard, Samuel; Brioude, Arnaud; Cornu, David; Miele, Philippe

2010-02-01

Novel boron nitride (BN) fibers have been developed with diameters ranging from the nano- to microscale by thermal conversion of as-electrospun fibers from polyacrylonitrile and poly[B-(methylamino)borazine] blend solutions. Such a new class of ceramic fibers is seen as potential candidate for thermal management applications and filtration systems in harsh environments.Novel boron nitride (BN) fibers have been developed with diameters ranging from the nano- to microscale by thermal conversion of as-electrospun fibers from polyacrylonitrile and poly[B-(methylamino)borazine] blend solutions. Such a new class of ceramic fibers is seen as potential candidate for thermal management applications and filtration systems in harsh environments. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details and EDX results. See DOI: 10.1039/b9nr00185a

Enhanced mechanical properties of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel by silk fibers for cartilage tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirahmadi, Fereshteh; Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Bonakdar, Shahin

2013-12-01

Articular cartilage has limited repair capability following traumatic injuries and current methods of treatment remain inefficient. Reconstructing cartilage provides a new way for cartilage repair and natural polymers are often used as scaffold because of their biocompatibility and biofunctionality. In this study, we added degummed chopped silk fibers and electrospun silk fibers to the thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate hydrogels to reinforce two hydrogel constructs which were used as scaffold for hyaline cartilage regeneration. The gelation temperature and gelation time of hydrogel were analyzed by the rheometer and vial tilting method. Mechanical characterization was measured by uniaxial compression, indentation and dynamic mechanical analysis assay. Chondrocytes were then harvested from the knee joint of the New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in constructs. The cell proliferation, viability, production of glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II were assessed. The results showed that mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly enhanced when a hybrid with two layers of electrospun silk fibers was made. The results of GAG and collagen type II in cell-seeded scaffolds indicate support of the chondrogenic phenotype for chondrocytes with a significant increase in degummed silk fiber-hydrogel composite for GAG content and in two-layer electrospun fiber-hydrogel composite for Col II. It was concluded that these two modified scaffolds could be employed for cartilage tissue engineering. © 2013.

Discovery of the beta-form crystal structure in electrospun nanofibers of bio-based poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] and its implication on properties

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Liang

Bacterially produced poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] (PHBHx) is a new type of bioplastic which not only inherits the excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility of its parent homopolymer, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), but also overcomes PHB’s brittleness and stiffness with the incorporation of 3-hydroxyhexanoate (Hx) comonomer units with medium-chain-length (mcl) side chains. The tough and ductile PHBHx, with a much lower crystallinity and melting temperature, is well-suited for many practical applications. Efforts have been made to broaden the application range of PHBHx by introducing the beta-form crystalline structure, where the molecular chains adopt a planar zig-zag conformation. However, it is extremely difficult to produce this beta-form in PHBHx due to its much lower crystallinity and much more flexible molecular chains. In this study, we report an approach using the technique of electrospinning. The strain-induced metastable β-form crystalline structure was successfully introduced in PHBHx by collecting the macroscopically aligned electrospun PHBHx nanofibers across the air gap on a piece of aluminum foil and on the tapered edge of a high-speed rotary disk. The presence of the β-form crystal structure in electrospun fiber mats was confirmed by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), with molecular orientation of the polymer chains along the fiber axis revealed by polarized FTIR. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and AFM-IR were utilized to investigate the morphological and structural details of individual PHBHx nanofibers. The results demonstrated a coexistence of the thermodynamically stable α-form crystalline structure, where molecular chains adopt a left-handed 21 helical conformation, and the β-form in single fibers. The molecular orientation level and the relative amounts of the two crystalline polymorphs were found to be highly dependent on fiber collection methods

Enhanced adhesion and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells on conductive PANI-PCL fiber scaffold by electrical stimulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yumei; Li, Xiang; Zhao, Rui; Wang, Chuying; Qiu, Fangping; Sun, Bolun; Ji, He; Qiu, Ju; Wang, Ce

2017-01-01

Recently, electrically conductive biomaterial scaffolds have shown great potential in tissue regeneration. Herein, we reported an electrically conductive polyaniline (PANI) coated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun micron-fiber scaffold for the enhanced attachment and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under electrical stimulation conditions. After the O 2 plasma treatment toward PCL electrospun fiber, PANI could be polymerized onto their surfaces successfully. The obtained PANI-PCL fibers were characterized by SEM observations, FT-IR spectra, XPS analysis, and water contact angle measurement. The mechanical tests indicated that the fibers could satisfy the practical vascular scaffold requirements. The conductivity of the PANI-PCL fibers was 6.71 × 10 −3 S/cm which could provide a conductive in-vitro platform to study the effect of electrical stimulation on HUVECs proliferation. When PANI-coated PCL fibers were compared with PCL fibers, HUVECs exhibited highly enhanced adhesion and viability, especially under electrical stimulation (ES) of 200, 300, and 400 mV/cm. Proliferation of HUVECs on PANI-PCL fibers was strongly dependent on electrical stimulation intensity. The results showed new insights into conductive scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Electrospun PCL fibers were subjected to an O 2 plasma treatment to improve the hydrophilicity. • PANI was coated onto the surface of PCL fibers successfully after the plasma treatment. • HUVECs could attach, spread, and survive better on PANI-PCL fibers than on pure PCL fibers. • Electrical stimulation benefited proliferation of HUVECs on conductive PANI-PCL scaffold.

Enhanced adhesion and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells on conductive PANI-PCL fiber scaffold by electrical stimulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yumei [Alan G. MacDiarmid Institute, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130117 (China); Li, Xiang; Zhao, Rui [Alan G. MacDiarmid Institute, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Wang, Chuying [Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130117 (China); Qiu, Fangping, E-mail: qfp2004@126.com [Chemistry and Biology Science College, Changchun University of Technology, Changchun 130012 (China); Sun, Bolun; Ji, He; Qiu, Ju [Alan G. MacDiarmid Institute, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Wang, Ce, E-mail: cwang@jlu.edu.cn [Alan G. MacDiarmid Institute, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China)

2017-03-01

Recently, electrically conductive biomaterial scaffolds have shown great potential in tissue regeneration. Herein, we reported an electrically conductive polyaniline (PANI) coated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun micron-fiber scaffold for the enhanced attachment and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under electrical stimulation conditions. After the O{sub 2} plasma treatment toward PCL electrospun fiber, PANI could be polymerized onto their surfaces successfully. The obtained PANI-PCL fibers were characterized by SEM observations, FT-IR spectra, XPS analysis, and water contact angle measurement. The mechanical tests indicated that the fibers could satisfy the practical vascular scaffold requirements. The conductivity of the PANI-PCL fibers was 6.71 × 10{sup −3} S/cm which could provide a conductive in-vitro platform to study the effect of electrical stimulation on HUVECs proliferation. When PANI-coated PCL fibers were compared with PCL fibers, HUVECs exhibited highly enhanced adhesion and viability, especially under electrical stimulation (ES) of 200, 300, and 400 mV/cm. Proliferation of HUVECs on PANI-PCL fibers was strongly dependent on electrical stimulation intensity. The results showed new insights into conductive scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Electrospun PCL fibers were subjected to an O{sub 2} plasma treatment to improve the hydrophilicity. • PANI was coated onto the surface of PCL fibers successfully after the plasma treatment. • HUVECs could attach, spread, and survive better on PANI-PCL fibers than on pure PCL fibers. • Electrical stimulation benefited proliferation of HUVECs on conductive PANI-PCL scaffold.

Biodegradable electrospun nanofibers coated with platelet-rich plasma for cell adhesion and proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz-Gomez, Luis; Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen; Concheiro, Angel; Silva, Maite; Dominguez, Fernando; Sheikh, Faheem A.; Cantu, Travis; Desai, Raj; Garcia, Vanessa L.; Macossay, Javier

2014-01-01

Biodegradable electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds were coated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to improve cell adhesion and proliferation. PRP was obtained from human buffy coat, and tested on human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to confirm cell proliferation and cytocompatibility. Then, PRP was adsorbed on the PCL scaffolds via lyophilization, which resulted in a uniform sponge-like coating of 2.85 (S.D. 0.14) mg/mg. The scaffolds were evaluated regarding mechanical properties (Young's modulus, tensile stress and tensile strain), sustained release of total protein and growth factors (PDGF-BB, TGF-β1 and VEGF), and hemocompatibility. MSC seeded on the PRP–PCL nanofibers showed an increased adhesion and proliferation compared to pristine PCL fibers. Moreover, the adsorbed PRP enabled angiogenesis features observed as neovascularization in a chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Overall, these results suggest that PRP–PCL scaffolds hold promise for tissue regeneration applications. - Highlights: • Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can be adsorbed on electrospun fibers via lyophilization. • PRP coating enhanced mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and proliferation on scaffolds. • PRP-coated scaffolds showed sustained release of growth factors. • Adsorbed PRP provided angiogenic features. • PRP-poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds hold promise for tissue regeneration applications

Biodegradable electrospun nanofibers coated with platelet-rich plasma for cell adhesion and proliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diaz-Gomez, Luis [Departamento de Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15872 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Instituto de Ortopedia y Banco de Tejidos Musculoesqueléticos, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15872 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen, E-mail: carmen.alvarez.lorenzo@usc.es [Departamento de Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15872 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Concheiro, Angel [Departamento de Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15872 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Silva, Maite [Instituto de Ortopedia y Banco de Tejidos Musculoesqueléticos, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15872 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Dominguez, Fernando [Fundación Publica Galega de Medicina Xenómica, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Sheikh, Faheem A.; Cantu, Travis; Desai, Raj; Garcia, Vanessa L. [Department of Chemistry, University of Texas Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78541 (United States); Macossay, Javier, E-mail: jmacossay@utpa.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of Texas Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78541 (United States)

2014-07-01

Biodegradable electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds were coated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to improve cell adhesion and proliferation. PRP was obtained from human buffy coat, and tested on human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to confirm cell proliferation and cytocompatibility. Then, PRP was adsorbed on the PCL scaffolds via lyophilization, which resulted in a uniform sponge-like coating of 2.85 (S.D. 0.14) mg/mg. The scaffolds were evaluated regarding mechanical properties (Young's modulus, tensile stress and tensile strain), sustained release of total protein and growth factors (PDGF-BB, TGF-β1 and VEGF), and hemocompatibility. MSC seeded on the PRP–PCL nanofibers showed an increased adhesion and proliferation compared to pristine PCL fibers. Moreover, the adsorbed PRP enabled angiogenesis features observed as neovascularization in a chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Overall, these results suggest that PRP–PCL scaffolds hold promise for tissue regeneration applications. - Highlights: • Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can be adsorbed on electrospun fibers via lyophilization. • PRP coating enhanced mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and proliferation on scaffolds. • PRP-coated scaffolds showed sustained release of growth factors. • Adsorbed PRP provided angiogenic features. • PRP-poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds hold promise for tissue regeneration applications.

Effect of natural fiber types and sodium silicate coated on natural fiber mat/PLA composites: Tensile properties and rate of fire propagation

Science.gov (United States)

Thongpin, C.; Srimuk, J.; hipkam, N.; Wachirapong, P.

2015-07-01

In this study, 3 types of natural fibres, i.e. jute, sisal and abaca, were plain weaved to fibre mat. Before weaving, the fibres were treated with 5% NaOH to remove hemi cellulose and lignin. The weaving was performed by hand using square wooden block fit with nails for weaving using one and two types of natural fibres as weft and warp fibre to produce natural fibre mat. The fibre mat was also impregnated in sodium silicate solution extracted from rich husk ash. The pH of the solution was adjusted to pH 7 using H2SO4 before impregnation. After predetermined time, sodium silicate was gelled and deposited on the mat. The fabric mat and sodium silicate coated mat were then impregnated with PLA solution to produce prepreg. Dried pepreg was laminated with PLA sheet using compressing moulding machine to obtain natural fibre mat/PLA composite. The composite containing abaca aligned in longitudinal direction with respect to tension force enhanced Young's modulus more than 300%. Fibre mat composites with abaca aligned in longitudinal direction also showed tensile strength enhancement nearly 400% higher than neat PLA. After coating with sodium silicate, the tensile modulus of the composites was found slightly increased. The silicate coating was disadvantage on tensile strength of the composite due to the effect of sodium hydroxide solution that was used as solvent for silicate extraction from rice husk ash. However, sodium silicate could retard rate of fire propagation about 50%compare to neat PLA and about 10% reduction compared to fibre mat composites without sodium silicate coated fibre mat.

Effect of natural fiber types and sodium silicate coated on natural fiber mat/PLA composites: Tensile properties and rate of fire propagation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thongpin, C; Srimuk, J; Hipkam, N; Wachirapong, P

2015-01-01

In this study, 3 types of natural fibres, i.e. jute, sisal and abaca, were plain weaved to fibre mat. Before weaving, the fibres were treated with 5% NaOH to remove hemi cellulose and lignin. The weaving was performed by hand using square wooden block fit with nails for weaving using one and two types of natural fibres as weft and warp fibre to produce natural fibre mat. The fibre mat was also impregnated in sodium silicate solution extracted from rich husk ash. The pH of the solution was adjusted to pH 7 using H 2 SO 4 before impregnation. After predetermined time, sodium silicate was gelled and deposited on the mat. The fabric mat and sodium silicate coated mat were then impregnated with PLA solution to produce prepreg. Dried pepreg was laminated with PLA sheet using compressing moulding machine to obtain natural fibre mat/PLA composite. The composite containing abaca aligned in longitudinal direction with respect to tension force enhanced Young's modulus more than 300%. Fibre mat composites with abaca aligned in longitudinal direction also showed tensile strength enhancement nearly 400% higher than neat PLA. After coating with sodium silicate, the tensile modulus of the composites was found slightly increased. The silicate coating was disadvantage on tensile strength of the composite due to the effect of sodium hydroxide solution that was used as solvent for silicate extraction from rice husk ash. However, sodium silicate could retard rate of fire propagation about 50%compare to neat PLA and about 10% reduction compared to fibre mat composites without sodium silicate coated fibre mat. (paper)

A novel methanol sensor based on gas-penetration through a porous polypyrrole-coated polyacrylonitrile nanofiber mat.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Tae-Sun; Ho, Thi Anh; Rashid, Muhammad; Kim, Yong Shin

2013-09-01

In this work, we propose a novel chemoresistive gas sensor operated under a vertical analyte flow passing through a permeable sensing membrane. Such a configuration is different from the use of a planar sensor implemented under a conventional horizontal flow. A highly porous core-shell polyacrylonitrile-polypyrrole (PAN@PPy) nanofiber mat was prepared as the sensing element via electrospinning and two-step vapor-phase polymerization (VPP). Various analysis methods such as SEM, TEM, FT-IR and XPS measurements were employed in order to characterize structural features of the porous sensing mat. These analyses confirmed that very thin (ca. 10 nm) conductive PPy sheath layers were deposited by VPP on electrospun PAN nanofibers with an average diameter of 258 nm. Preliminary results revealed that the gas penetration-type PAN@PPy sensor had a higher sensor response and shorter detection and recovery times upon exposure to methanol analyte when compared with a conventional horizontal flow sensor due to efficient and fast analyte transfer into the sensing layer.

Effect of Pineapple Leaf Fibers (PALF) concentration on nanofibers formation by electrospinning

Science.gov (United States)

Surip, S. N.; Aziz, F. M. Abdul; Bonnia, N. N.; Sekak, K. A.

2018-01-01

Electrospinning method has been studied widely in producing nanofibers due to its straightforward and versatile method. In this study, Pineapple Leaf Fibers (PALF) solution were electrospinning to obtain mat of PALF electrospun. PALF were diluted in Trifluoacetic Acid (TFA) into five different concentrations to study the effect of concentration to the nanofibers formation. Raw sample of PALF (PALFraw), PALF after dewax (PALFdewax) and PALF after dilute with TFA (PALFTFA) were analyzed and compared using FTIR to study the structural change occur. TFA solvent has removed and recreated some of the functional group in PALF thus disrupt strong hydrogen bonds that hold hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin together. All the PALF sample has been proceed to electrospinning process. Low concentration of solution cause the solution jet to break up even before reach the collector however high concentration of solution made the solvent volatile faster and the solution dried easily. Therefore, PALF with optimum concentration of 0.02 gml-1 had favors the formation of nanofibers and succeed in forming membrane at the collector.

Tailoring the morphology and crystallinity of poly(L-lactide acid) electrospun membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribeiro, Clarisse; Sencadas, Vitor; Costa, Carlos Miguel; Lanceros-Mendez, Senentxu [Centro/Departamento de Fisica da Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Gomez Ribelles, Jose Luis, E-mail: lanceros@fisica.uminho.pt [Centro de Biomateriales e Ingenieria Tisular, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia (Spain)

2011-02-15

Biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) microfibers were prepared by electrospinning by varying the applied potential, solution flow rate and collector conditions. PLLA fibers with smoothly oriented and random morphologies were obtained and characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The optimum fiber orientation was obtained at 1000 rpm using a 20.3 cm diameter collecting drum, while for higher and lower drum rotation speeds, the rapid random motion of the jets resulted in a random fiber distribution. The deformation of the jet with rapid solidification during electrospinning often results in a metastable phase. PLLA electrospun fibers are amorphous but contain numerous crystal nuclei that rapidly grow when the sample is heated to 70-140 {sup 0}C. In this way, the degree of crystallinity of the fibers can be tailored between 0 and 50% by annealing. Infrared transmission spectra revealed that the processing conditions do not affect the PLLA samples at the molecular level and that the crystallinity of the samples is related to the presence of {alpha}-crystals.

Tuning the Morphology and Activity of Electrospun Polystyrene/UiO-66-NH2 Metal-Organic Framework Composites to Enhance Chemical Warfare Agent Removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Gregory W; Lu, Annie X; Epps, Thomas H

2017-09-20

This work investigates the processing-structure-activity relationships that ultimately facilitate the enhanced performance of UiO-66-NH 2 metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in electrospun polystyrene (PS) fibers for chemical warfare agent detoxification. Key electrospinning processing parameters including solvent type (dimethylformamide [DMF]) vs DMF/tetrahydrofuran [THF]), PS weight fraction in solution, and MOF weight fraction relative to PS were varied to optimize MOF incorporation into the fibers and ultimately improve composite performance. It was found that composites spun from pure DMF generally resulted in MOF crystal deposition on the surface of the fibers, while composites spun from DMF/THF typically led to MOF crystal deposition within the fibers. For cases in which the MOF was incorporated on the periphery of the fibers, the composites generally demonstrated better gas uptake (e.g., nitrogen, chlorine) because of enhanced access to the MOF pores. Additionally, increasing both the polymer and MOF weight percentages in the electrospun solutions resulted in larger diameter fibers, with polymer concentration having a more pronounced effect on fiber size; however, these larger fibers were generally less efficient at gas separations. Overall, exploring the electrospinning parameter space resulted in composites that outperformed previously reported materials for the detoxification of the chemical warfare agent, soman. The data and strategies herein thus provide guiding principles applicable to the design of future systems for protection and separations as well as a wide range of environmental remediation applications.

Ciprofloxacin-loaded sodium alginate/poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) electrospun fibrous mats for wound healing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Xiaoli; Nielsen, Line Hagner; Klodzinska, Sylvia Natalie

2017-01-01

by the Young's Modulus. Moreover, the burst release of CIP resulted from the addition of ALG seemed to provide an improved antibacterial effect to the PLGA mats. This study demonstrated the potential of combining hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers to design the desired wound dressings via the electrospinning...

In vitro evaluation of crosslinked electrospun fish gelatin scaffolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, S R; Rodrigues, G; Martins, G G; Henriques, C M R; Silva, J C

2013-04-01

Gelatin from cold water fish skin was electrospun, crosslinked and investigated as a substrate for the adhesion and proliferation of cells. Gelatin was first dissolved in either water or concentrated acetic acid and both solutions were successfully electrospun. Cross-linking was achieved via three different routes: glutaraldehyde vapor, genipin and dehydrothermal treatment. Solution's properties (surface tension, electrical conductivity and viscosity) and scaffold's properties (chemical bonds, weight loss and fiber diameters) were measured. Cellular viability was analyzed culturing 3T3 fibroblasts plated on the scaffolds and grown up to 7 days. The cells were fixed and observed with SEM or stained for DNA and F-actin and observed with confocal microscopy. In all scaffolds, the cells attached and spread with varying degrees. The evaluation of cell viability showed proliferation of cells until confluence in scaffolds crosslinked by glutaraldehyde and genipin; however the rate of growth in genipin crosslinked scaffolds was slow, recovering only by day five. The results using the dehydrothermal treatment were the less satisfactory. Our results show that glutaraldehyde treated fish gelatin is the most suitable substrate, of the three studied, for fibroblast adhesion and proliferation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The differentiation of embryonic stem cells seeded on electrospun nanofibers into neural lineages.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Jingwei; Willerth, Stephanie M; Li, Xiaoran; Macewan, Matthew R; Rader, Allison; Sakiyama-Elbert, Shelly E; Xia, Younan

2009-01-01

Due to advances in stem cell biology, embryonic stem (ES) cells can be induced to differentiate into a particular mature cell lineage when cultured as embryoid bodies. Although transplantation of ES cells-derived neural progenitor cells has been demonstrated with some success for either spinal cord injury repair in small animal model, control of ES cell differentiation into complex, viable, higher ordered tissues is still challenging. Mouse ES cells have been induced to become neural progenitors by adding retinoic acid to embryoid body cultures for 4 days. In this study, we examine the use of electrospun biodegradable polymers as scaffolds not only for enhancing the differentiation of mouse ES cells into neural lineages but also for promoting and guiding the neurite outgrowth. A combination of electrospun fiber scaffolds and ES cells-derived neural progenitor cells could lead to the development of a better strategy for nerve injury repair.

Ceramic fiber reinforced glass-ceramic matrix composite

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, Narottam P. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A slurry of BSAS glass powders is cast into tapes which are cut to predetermined sizes. Mats of continuous chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-SiC fibers are alternately stacked with these matrix tapes. This tape-mat stack is warm-pressed to produce a 'green' composite which is heated to burn out organic constituents. The remaining interim material is then hot-pressed to form a BSAS glass-ceramic fiber-reinforced composite.

Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) matrices containing silver sulfadiazine complexed with β-cyclodextrin as a new pharmaceutical dosage form to wound healing: preliminary physicochemical and biological evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Sarah Oliveira Lamas; Cotrim, Monique Alvarenga Pinto; Oréfice, Rodrigo Lambert; Carvalho, Suzana Gonçalves; Dutra, Jessyca Aparecida Paes; de Paula Careta, Francisco; Resende, Juliana Alves; Villanova, Janaina Cecília Oliveira

2018-05-10

Cooperation between researchers in the areas of medical, pharmaceutical and materials science has facilitated the development of pharmaceutical dosage forms that elicit therapeutic effects and protective action with a single product. In addition to optimizing pharmacologic action, such dosage forms provide greater patient comfort and increase success and treatment compliance. In the present work, we prepared semipermeable bioactive electrospun fibers for use as wound dressings containing silver sulfadiazine complexed with β-cyclodextrin in a poly(Ɛ-caprolactone) nanofiber matrix aiming to reduce the direct contact between silver and skin and to modulate the drug release. Wound dressings were prepared by electrospinning, and were subjected to ATR-FT-IR and TG/DTG assays to evaluate drug stability. The hydrophilicity of the fibrous nanostructure in water and PBS buffer was studied by goniometry. Electrospun fibers permeability and swelling capacity were assessed, and a dissolution test was performed. In vitro biological tests were realized to investigate the biological compatibility and antimicrobial activity. We obtained flexible matrices that were each approximately 1.0 g in weight. The electrospun fibers were shown to be semipermeable, with water vapor transmission and swelling indexes compatible with the proposed objective. The hydrophilicity was moderate. Matrices containing pure drug modulated drug release adequately during 24 h but presented a high hemolytic index. Complexation promoted a decrease in the hemolytic index and in the drug release but did not negatively impact antimicrobial activity. The drug was released predominantly by diffusion. These results indicate that electrospun PCL matrices containing β-cyclodextrin/silver sulfadiazine inclusion complexes are a promising pharmaceutical dosage form for wound healing.

Core–Shell Electrospun Hollow Aluminum Oxide Ceramic Fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan W. Rajala

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this work, core–shell electrospinning was employed as a simple method for the fabrication of composite coaxial polymer fibers that became hollow ceramic tubes when calcined at high temperature. The shell polymer solution consisted of polyvinyl pyrollidone (PVP in ethanol mixed with an aluminum acetate solution to act as a ceramic precursor. The core polymer was recycled polystyrene to act as a sacrificial polymer that burned off during calcination. The resulting fibers were analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS to confirm the presence of gamma-phase aluminum oxide when heated at temperatures above 700 °C. The fiber diameter decreased from 987 ± 19 nm to 382 ± 152 nm after the calcination process due to the polymer material being burned off. The wall thickness of these fibers is estimated to be 100 nm.

Electrospinning of Nano-Porous Cellulose Acetate Fibers Under Humidified Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Fattahi Juybari

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Electrospinning as a simple method was used to produce cellulose acetate porous fibers. Motivation for production of fibers with small diameter in the submicron and nano scales was to achieve the material with a large surfacearea with porosity formation in the structure of electrospun fibers. In this study, porous cellulose acetate (CA fibers were produced by electrospinning process from solution of CA/acetone/water. The porosity of the fiber was controlled by adjustment of the temperature and humidity of electrospinning chamber. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and densitometry were employed to evaluate the morphology and porosity of the samples. The results showed that the morphology and porosity of cellulose acetate fibers depend on the polymer solution concentration and relative humidity of electrospinning atmosphere. Cellulose acetate fibers were electrospun best at the concentrations of 12 to 18 wt% and relative humidity range of 40 to 80%. The highest porosity was obtained at the relative humidity of 80% and concentration of 15 wt%. In addition, by increasing the relative humidity of electrospinning environment and polymer concentration, the average diameter of the fibers was increased. With increasing the polymer concentration, there was less likelihood in thermodynamic instability and phase separation. In contrast, increases in relative humidity led to diffusion of more water into the electrospinning jet, giving rise to phase separation. Our observations revealed that the skin of fibers was formed at the earlier stage of the process and prevented the stretch in electrospinning jet.

Ion-exchange fibers for uranium recovery. Final report, September 8, 1980-November 6, 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babcock, W.C.

1981-01-01

Development was initiated of ion-exchange fibers that could be used to extract uranium ions from solutions containing 10 ppM uranium or less, such as acid mine waters, leach solutions, various natural groundwaters, and perhaps even seawater. These fibers would ultimately be used to make large, loosely woven mats that could be placed in dilute solutions or uranium. Periodically, the mats would be removed and stripped of uranium with an appropriate solution. Two major approaches to making these fibers were investigated. One involved incorporating conventional amine solvent-extraction reagents into the pores of microporous, polysulfone fibers. This approach was unsuccessful due to a rapid loss of the reagents from the fibers. The second approach was to incorporate water-swollen gels of polymeric amines into the pores of the fibers. These fibers effectively extracted uranium from solutions containing 10 ppM uranium. An economic analysis based on the projected costs of mats made from these fibers and on the value of the uranium recovered by the fibers shows that the mats could be used to economically recover uranium from dilute solutions and that they offer a substantial cost advantage over conventional ion exchange

Surface structure and adsorption properties of ultrafine porous carbon fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Xiaofeng; Wang Ce; Zhang Dejiang

2009-01-01

Ultrafine porous carbon fibers (UPCFs) were successfully synthesized by chemical activation of electrospun polyacrylonitrile fibers. In the current approach, potassium hydroxide was adopted as activation reagent. UPCFs were systematically evaluated by scanning electron microscope and nitrogen adsorption. The mass ratio of potassium hydroxide to preoxidized fibers, activation temperature and activation time are crucial for producing high quality UPCFs. The relationships between porous structure and process parameters are explored. UPCFs were applied as adsorbent for nitrogen monoxide to be compared with commercial porous carbon fibers.

Electrospun gelatin biopapers as substrate for in vitro bilayer models of blood-brain barrier tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Bischel, Lauren L; Coneski, Peter N; Lundin, Jeffrey G; Wu, Peter K; Giller, Carl B; Wynne, James; Ringeisen, Brad R; Pirlo, Russell K

2016-04-01

Gaining a greater understanding of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is critical for improvement in drug delivery, understanding pathologies that compromise the BBB, and developing therapies to protect the BBB. In vitro human tissue models are valuable tools for studying these issues. The standard in vitro BBB models use commercially available cell culture inserts to generate bilayer co-cultures of astrocytes and endothelial cells (EC). Electrospinning can be used to produce customized cell culture substrates with optimized material composition and mechanical properties with advantages over off-the-shelf materials. Electrospun gelatin is an ideal cell culture substrate because it is a natural polymer that can aid cell attachment and be modified and degraded by cells. Here, we have developed a method to produce cell culture inserts with electrospun gelatin "biopaper" membranes. The electrospun fiber diameter and cross-linking method were optimized for the growth of primary human endothelial cell and primary human astrocyte bilayer co-cultures to model human BBB tissue. BBB co-cultures on biopaper were characterized via cell morphology, trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER), and permeability to FITC-labeled dextran and compared to BBB co-cultures on standard cell culture inserts. Over longer culture periods (up to 21 days), cultures on the optimized electrospun gelatin biopapers were found to have improved TEER, decreased permeability, and permitted a smaller separation between co-cultured cells when compared to standard PET inserts. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electrospinning of poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers loaded with hexadecane nanodroplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Arecchi, A; Mannino, S; Weiss, J

2010-08-01

The feasibility of producing poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers containing fine-disperse hexadecane droplets by electrospinning a blend of hexadecane-in-water emulsions and PVA was investigated. Hexadecane oil-in-water nanoemulsions (d(10)= 181.2 +/- 0.1 nm) were mixed with PVA at pH 4.5 to yield polymer-emulsion blends containing 0.5 to 1.5 wt% oil droplets and 8-wt% PVA. The solution properties of emulsions and emulsion-PVA blends (viscosity, conductivity, surface tension) were determined. Solutions were electrospun and the morphology and thermal properties of deposited fiber mats characterized by scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Fiber mats were dissolved in buffer to liberate incorporated hexadecane droplets and the buffer solutions analyzed by optical microscopy, UV-spectroscopy, and light scattering. Analysis of dry fiber mats and their solutions showed that emulsion droplets were indeed part of the electrospun fiber structures. Depending on the concentration of hexadecane in the initial emulsion-polymer blends, droplets were dispersed in the fibers as individual droplets or in form of aggregated flocs of hexadecane droplets. Nanofibers with spindle-like perturbations or nanofibers containing bead-like structures with approximately 5 times larger than the size of droplets in the original nanoemulsion were obtained. Remarkably, incorporation of hexadecane droplets in fibers did not alter size of individual droplets, that is, no coalescence occurred. The manufacture of solid matrix containing nanodroplets could be of substantial interest for manufacturers wishing to develop encapsulation system for lipophilic functional compounds such as lipid-soluble flavors, antimicrobials, antioxidants, and bioactives with tailored release kinetics. Practical Applications: The paper describes the formation of electrospun nanofibers from hydrophilic polymers that contain fine-disperse emulsion droplets. By incorporating emulsion droplets, a

Fatigue Characteristic of Chopped Strand Mat/Polyester Composite

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I Made Astika

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The application of composite as an alternatif material to substitute of metal has better properties than metal such as light, high elasticity, corrosion and fatigue resistance. Some components in its application are subjected to millions of varying stress cycles that initiated to fatigue failure such as crack, delamination and fracture. The strength of composite is influenced by construction, fiber type, orientation and fiber fraction. The objective of this experiment is to investigate the fatigue characteristic on SCM composite. Material composite to be used is glass fiber with chopped strand mat (CSM as fiber and Yukalac 157 BQTN-EX with 1% hardener (Mexpox as matrix. The mold process was built with hand lay-up. Fiber volume fractions in composite are 40, 32 and 24 %. The tests to be done on composite are fatigue and tensile test. The research show that the increasing of fiber fraction in composite affects increasing of fatigue life, endurance limit and tensile strength. Fatigue failure modes of composite are debonding, matrix cracking, delamination and fiber fracture.

A novel nanofiber Cur-loaded polylactic acid constructed by electrospinning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trang Mai, Thi Thu; Duong Le, Quang; Binh Nguyen, Hai; Hoa Phan, Thi Bich; Lam Tran, Dai; Nguyen, Xuan Phuc; Thuy Nguyen, Thi Thu; Seo Park, Jun; Ngoan Nguyen, Thi; Cham Ba, Thi

2012-01-01

Curcumin (Cur), extracted from the Curcuma longa L. plant, is well known for its anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Nanofiber mats of polylactic acid (PLA) loading Cur (5 wt%) were fabricated by electrospinning (e-spinning). Morphology and structure of the fibers were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The diameters of the obtained fibers varied from 200 to 300 nm. The release capacity of curcumin from curcumin-loaded PLA fibers was investigated in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) containing ethanol. After 24 h, 50% of the curcumin was released from curcumin-loaded PLA fibers. These results of electrospun (e-spun) fibers exhibit the potential for biomedical application

A novel nanofiber Cur-loaded polylactic acid constructed by electrospinning

Science.gov (United States)

Thu Trang Mai, Thi; Thu Thuy Nguyen, Thi; Duong Le, Quang; Ngoan Nguyen, Thi; Cham Ba, Thi; Binh Nguyen, Hai; Bich Hoa Phan, Thi; Tran, Dai Lam; Phuc Nguyen, Xuan; Park, Jun Seo

2012-06-01

Curcumin (Cur), extracted from the Curcuma longa L. plant, is well known for its anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Nanofiber mats of polylactic acid (PLA) loading Cur (5 wt%) were fabricated by electrospinning (e-spinning). Morphology and structure of the fibers were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The diameters of the obtained fibers varied from 200 to 300 nm. The release capacity of curcumin from curcumin-loaded PLA fibers was investigated in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) containing ethanol. After 24 h, 50% of the curcumin was released from curcumin-loaded PLA fibers. These results of electrospun (e-spun) fibers exhibit the potential for biomedical application.

Encapsulation and immobilization of papain in electrospun nanofibrous membranes of PVA cross-linked with glutaraldehyde vapor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreno-Cortez, Iván E. [Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Blvd. Enrique Reyna # 140, San José de los Cerritos, Saltillo, Coahuila 25100, México (Mexico); Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Fac. de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica (FIME), Av. Universidad S/N, Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León C.P. 66450, México (Mexico); Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Centro de Innovación, Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería y Tecnología (CIIDIT), Apodaca, Nuevo León, México (Mexico); Romero-García, Jorge, E-mail: jromero@ciqa.mx [Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Blvd. Enrique Reyna # 140, San José de los Cerritos, Saltillo, Coahuila 25100, México (Mexico); and others

2015-07-01

In this paper, papain enzyme (E.C. 3.4.22.2, 1.6 U/mg) was successfully immobilized in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning. The morphology of the electrospun nanofibers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the diameter distribution was in the range of 80 to 170 nm. The presence of the enzyme within the PVA nanofibers was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) analyses. The maximum catalytic activity was reached when the enzyme loading was 13%. The immobilization of papain in the nanofiber membrane was achieved by chemical crosslinking with a glutaraldehyde vapor treatment (GAvt). The catalytic activity of the immobilized papain was 88% with respect to the free enzyme. The crosslinking time by GAvt to immobilize the enzyme onto the nanofiber mat was 24 h, and the enzyme retained its catalytic activity after six cycles. The crosslinked samples maintained 40% of their initial activity after being stored for 14 days. PVA electrospun nanofibers are excellent matrices for the immobilization of enzymes due to their high surface area and their nanoporous structure. - Highlights: • Successfully attempt to immobilize the papain enzyme in electrospun nanofibers • The morphology of nanofibers did not change at moderate enzyme concentrations. • The retained activity of the immobilized enzyme was 88% relative to the free enzyme. • The immobilized enzyme retains 40% of the initial activity after 14 days of storage. • Potential application of this work in the fabrication of biosensors specialized in the detection of metal ions.

Encapsulation and immobilization of papain in electrospun nanofibrous membranes of PVA cross-linked with glutaraldehyde vapor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno-Cortez, Iván E.; Romero-García, Jorge

2015-01-01

In this paper, papain enzyme (E.C. 3.4.22.2, 1.6 U/mg) was successfully immobilized in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning. The morphology of the electrospun nanofibers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the diameter distribution was in the range of 80 to 170 nm. The presence of the enzyme within the PVA nanofibers was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) analyses. The maximum catalytic activity was reached when the enzyme loading was 13%. The immobilization of papain in the nanofiber membrane was achieved by chemical crosslinking with a glutaraldehyde vapor treatment (GAvt). The catalytic activity of the immobilized papain was 88% with respect to the free enzyme. The crosslinking time by GAvt to immobilize the enzyme onto the nanofiber mat was 24 h, and the enzyme retained its catalytic activity after six cycles. The crosslinked samples maintained 40% of their initial activity after being stored for 14 days. PVA electrospun nanofibers are excellent matrices for the immobilization of enzymes due to their high surface area and their nanoporous structure. - Highlights: • Successfully attempt to immobilize the papain enzyme in electrospun nanofibers • The morphology of nanofibers did not change at moderate enzyme concentrations. • The retained activity of the immobilized enzyme was 88% relative to the free enzyme. • The immobilized enzyme retains 40% of the initial activity after 14 days of storage. • Potential application of this work in the fabrication of biosensors specialized in the detection of metal ions

Emerging investigator series: development and application of polymeric electrospun nanofiber mats as equilibrium-passive sampler media for organic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Jiajie; Jennings, Brandon; Cwiertny, David M; Martinez, Andres

2017-11-15

We fabricated a suite of polymeric electrospun nanofiber mats (ENMs) and investigated their performance as next-generation passive sampler media for environmental monitoring of organic compounds. Electrospinning of common polymers [e.g., polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polystyrene (PS), among others] yielded ENMs with reproducible control of nanofiber diameters (from 50 to 340 nm). The ENM performance was investigated initially with model hydrophilic (aniline and nitrobenzene) and hydrophobic (selected PCB congeners and dioxin) compounds, generally revealing fast chemical uptake into all of these ENMs, which was well described by a one compartment, first-order kinetic model. Typical times to reach 90% equilibrium (t 90% ) were ≤7 days under mixing conditions for all the ENMs and equilibrium timescales suggest that ENMs may be used in the field as an equilibrium-passive sampler, at least for our model compounds. Equilibrium partitioning coefficients (K ENM-W , L kg -1 ) averaged 2 and 4.7 log units for the hydrophilic and hydrophobic analytes, respectively. PAN, PMMA and PS were prioritized for additional studies because they exhibited not only the greatest capacity for simultaneous uptake of the entire model suite (log K ENM-W ∼1.5-6.2), but also fast uptake. For these optimized ENMs, the rates of uptake into PAN and PMMA were limited by aqueous phase diffusion to the nanofiber surface, and the rate-determining step for PS was analyte specific. Sorption isotherms also revealed that the environmental application of these optimized ENMs would occur within the linear uptake regime. We examined the ENM performance for the measurement of pore water concentrations from spiked soil and freshwater sediments. Soil and sediment studies not only yielded reproducible pore water concentrations and comparable values to other passive sampler materials, but also provided practical insights into ENM stability and fouling in such systems

Electrospun poly(lactic acid) based conducting nanofibrous networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patra, S N; Bhattacharyya, D; Ray, S; Easteal, A J

2009-01-01

Multi-functionalised micro/nanostructures of conducting polymers in neat or blended forms have received much attention because of their unique properties and technological applications in electrical, magnetic and biomedical devices. Biopolymer-based conducting fibrous mats are of special interest for tissue engineering because they not only physically support tissue growth but also are electrically conductive, and thus are able to stimulate specific cell functions or trigger cell responses. They are effective for carrying current in biological environments and can thus be considered for delivering local electrical stimuli at the site of damaged tissue to promote wound healing. Electrospinning is an established way to process polymer solutions or melts into continuous fibres with diameter often in the nanometre range. This process primarily depends on a number of parameters, including the type of polymer, solution viscosity, polarity and surface tension of the solvent, electric field strength and the distance between the spinneret and the collector. The present research has included polyaniline (PANi) as the conducting polymer and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) as the biopolymer. Dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid (DBSA) doped PANi and PLLA have been dissolved in a common solvent (mixtures of chloroform and dimethyl formamide (DMF)), and the solutions successfully electrospun. DMF enhanced the dielectric constant of the solvent, and tetra butyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) was used as an additive to increase the conductivity of the solution. DBSA-doped PANi/PLLA mat exhibits an almost bead-free network of nanofibres that have extraordinarily smooth surface and diameters in the range 75 to 100 nm.

Enhanced mechanical properties of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel by silk fibers for cartilage tissue engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirahmadi, Fereshteh; Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Bonakdar, Shahin

2013-01-01

Articular cartilage has limited repair capability following traumatic injuries and current methods of treatment remain inefficient. Reconstructing cartilage provides a new way for cartilage repair and natural polymers are often used as scaffold because of their biocompatibility and biofunctionality. In this study, we added degummed chopped silk fibers and electrospun silk fibers to the thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate hydrogels to reinforce two hydrogel constructs which were used as scaffold for hyaline cartilage regeneration. The gelation temperature and gelation time of hydrogel were analyzed by the rheometer and vial tilting method. Mechanical characterization was measured by uniaxial compression, indentation and dynamic mechanical analysis assay. Chondrocytes were then harvested from the knee joint of the New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in constructs. The cell proliferation, viability, production of glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II were assessed. The results showed that mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly enhanced when a hybrid with two layers of electrospun silk fibers was made. The results of GAG and collagen type II in cell-seeded scaffolds indicate support of the chondrogenic phenotype for chondrocytes with a significant increase in degummed silk fiber–hydrogel composite for GAG content and in two-layer electrospun fiber–hydrogel composite for Col II. It was concluded that these two modified scaffolds could be employed for cartilage tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Chitosan hydrogel composites fabricated by two forms of silk fiber • Silk fibers provide structural support for the hydrogel matrix. • The mechanical properties of hydrogel significantly improved by associating with silk. • Production of GAG and collagen type II was demonstrated within the scaffolds

Enhanced mechanical properties of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel by silk fibers for cartilage tissue engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mirahmadi, Fereshteh [Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad, E-mail: Tafazoli@aut.ac.ir [Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali, E-mail: mashokrgozar@pasteur.ac.ir [National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bonakdar, Shahin [National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-12-01

Articular cartilage has limited repair capability following traumatic injuries and current methods of treatment remain inefficient. Reconstructing cartilage provides a new way for cartilage repair and natural polymers are often used as scaffold because of their biocompatibility and biofunctionality. In this study, we added degummed chopped silk fibers and electrospun silk fibers to the thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate hydrogels to reinforce two hydrogel constructs which were used as scaffold for hyaline cartilage regeneration. The gelation temperature and gelation time of hydrogel were analyzed by the rheometer and vial tilting method. Mechanical characterization was measured by uniaxial compression, indentation and dynamic mechanical analysis assay. Chondrocytes were then harvested from the knee joint of the New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in constructs. The cell proliferation, viability, production of glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II were assessed. The results showed that mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly enhanced when a hybrid with two layers of electrospun silk fibers was made. The results of GAG and collagen type II in cell-seeded scaffolds indicate support of the chondrogenic phenotype for chondrocytes with a significant increase in degummed silk fiber–hydrogel composite for GAG content and in two-layer electrospun fiber–hydrogel composite for Col II. It was concluded that these two modified scaffolds could be employed for cartilage tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Chitosan hydrogel composites fabricated by two forms of silk fiber • Silk fibers provide structural support for the hydrogel matrix. • The mechanical properties of hydrogel significantly improved by associating with silk. • Production of GAG and collagen type II was demonstrated within the scaffolds.

Nanofiber mat spinal cord dressing-released glutamate impairs blood-spinal cord barrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Sulejczak

2016-12-01

Full Text Available An excessive glutamate level can result in excitotoxic damage and death of central nervous system (CNS cells, and is involved in the pathogenesis of many CNS diseases. It may also be related to a failure of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB. This study was aimed at examining the effects of extended administration of monosodium glutamate on the BSCB and spinal cord cells in adult male Wistar rats. The glutamate was delivered by subarachnoidal application of glutamate-carrying electrospun nanofiber mat dressing at the lumbar enlargement level. Half of the rats with the glutamate-loaded mat application were treated systemically with the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid. A group of intact rats and a rat group with subarachnoidal application of an ‘empty’ (i.e., carrying no glutamate nanofiber mat dressing served as controls. All the rats were euthanized three weeks later and lumbar fragments of their spinal cords were harvested for histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies. The samples from controls revealed normal parenchyma and BSCB morphology, whereas those from rats with the glutamate-loaded nanofiber mat dressing showed many intraparenchymal microhemorrhages of variable sizes. The capillaries in the vicinity of the glutamate-carrying dressing (in the meninges and white matter alike were edematous and leaky, and their endothelial cells showed degenerative changes: extensive swelling, enhanced vacuo­lization and the presence of vascular intraluminal projections. However, endothelial tight junctions were generally well preserved. Some endothelial cells were dying by necrosis or apoptosis. The adjacent parenchyma showed astrogliosis with astrocytic hypertrophy and swelling of perivascular astrocytic feet. Neurons in the parenchyma revealed multiple symptoms of degeneration, including, inter alia, perikaryal, dendritic and axonal swelling, and destruction of organelles. All the damage symptoms were slightly less

Simultaneous Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Malachite Green Using Electrospun P(3HB-TiO2 Nanocomposite Fibers and Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanthini Sridewi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper demonstrated the applicability of electrospun P(3HB film as a dye adsorbent agent. Malachite green (MG was used as the model dye in this study. Interestingly, the electrospun P(3HB film exhibited excellent dye adsorption capacity whereby 78% of dye was adsorbed from a 30 μM solution of MG. The film was further improvised by incorporating titanium dioxide photocatalysts to form a dual dye treatment system employing adsorption and photocatalytic degradation techniques. The resultant electrospun P(3HB-50 wt%   TiO2 was capable of completely decolorizing MG in 45 min under solar irradiation, which corresponded to 58.7%  COD removal. The fully decolorized MG solution also proved to be nontoxic against A. aegypti mosquito larvae. The reapplicability of this film was possible as it induced a decolorization rate of 98% or more at every usage for ten consequent usages. EDX analysis suggested that there were no significant changes in the concentration of titanium (Ti in the film before and after ten times of usage. The concentration of Ti in cast P(3HB-50 wt%  TiO2 film was found to decrease significantly during the repeated usage. The electrospun P(3HB-50 wt%  TiO2 film has high potency as an efficient and inexpensive yet simple method for the dye effluent decolorization, degradation, and detoxification.

Electrospun conducting polymer nanofibers as the active material in sensors and diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinto, Nicholas J

2013-01-01

Polyaniline doped with camphorsulfonic acid (PANi-HCSA) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with polystyrene sulfonic acid (PEDOT-PSSA) were electrospun separately to obtain individual nanofibers which were captured on Si/SiO 2 substrates and electrically characterized. The fiber resistance was recorded as a function of time in the presence of vapours of aliphatic alcohols of varying sizes. Due to the large surface to volume ratio, uniform diameter and small quantity of active material used in the construction, these sensor responses are very quick. Sensors made from individual fibers also show true saturation upon exposure to and removal of the sensing gas. A Schottky diode was also fabricated using an n-doped Si/SiO 2 substrate and a single PANi-HCSA fiber and tested in vacuum and in ammonia gas. The diode response was instantaneous upon exposure to ammonia with nearly complete recovery of the current upon pumping out the ammonia, thereby making it a reusable sensor with rectifying behaviour i.e. multifunctional.

Highly efficient hybrid energy generator: coupled organic photovoltaic device and randomly oriented electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Boongik; Lee, Kihwan; Park, Jongjin; Kim, Jongmin; Kim, Ohyun

2013-03-01

A hybrid architecture consisting of an inverted organic photovoltaic device and a randomly-oriented electrospun PVDF piezoelectric device was fabricated as a highly-efficient energy generator. It uses the inverted photovoltaic device with coupled electrospun PVDF nanofibers as tandem structure to convert solar and mechanical vibrations energy to electricity simultaneously or individually. The power conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic device was also significantly improved up to 4.72% by optimized processes such as intrinsic ZnO, MoO3 and active layer. A simple electrospinning method with the two electrode technique was adopted to achieve a high voltage of - 300 mV in PVDF piezoelectric fibers. Highly-efficient HEG using voltage adder circuit provides the conceptual possibility of realizing multi-functional energy generator whenever and wherever various energy sources are available.

Fabrication and characterization of electrospun osteon mimicking scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andric, T. [Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Sampson, A.C. [Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Freeman, J.W., E-mail: jwfreeman@vt.edu [Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States)

2011-01-01

Skeletal loss and bone deficiencies are a major worldwide problem with over 600,000 procedures performed in the US alone annually, making bone one of the most transplanted tissues, second to blood only. Bone is a composite tissue composed of organic matrix, inorganic bone mineral, and water. Structurally bone is organized into two distinct types: trabecular (or cancellous) and cortical (or compact) bones. Trabecular bone is characterized by an extensive interconnected network of pores. Cortical bone is composed of tightly packed units, called osteons, oriented parallel along to the axis of the bone. While the majority of scaffolds attempt to replicate the structure of the trabecular bone, fewer attempts have been made to create scaffolds to mimic the structure of cortical bone. The aim of this study was to develop a technique to fabricate scaffolds that mimic the organization of an osteon, the structural unit of cortical bone. We successfully built a rotating stage for PGA fibers and utilized it for collecting electrospun nanofibers and creating scaffolds. Resulting scaffolds consisted of concentric layers of electrospun PLLA or gelatin/PLLA nanofibers wrapped around PGA microfiber core with diameters that ranged from 200 to 600 {mu}m. Scaffolds were mineralized by incubation in 10x simulated body fluid, and scaffolds composed of 10%gelatin/PLLA had significantly higher amounts of calcium phosphate. The electrospun scaffolds also supported cellular attachment and proliferation of MC3T3 cells over the period of 28 days.

Woven Hybrid Composites - Tensile and Flexural Properties of Jute Mat Fibres with Epoxy Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Gopal, P.; Bupesh Raja, V. K.; Chandrasekaran, M.; Dhanasekaran, C.

2017-03-01

The jute mat fibers are fabricated with several layers of fiber with opposite orientation in addition with coconut shell powder and resins. In current trends, metallic components are replaced by natural fibers because of the inherent properties such as light in weight, easy to fabricate, less cost and easy availability. This material has high strength and withstands the load. In this investigation the plates are made without stitching the fiber. The result of tensile strength and flexural strength are compared with nano material (coconut shell powder).

Electrospun nitrocellulose and nylon: Design and fabrication of novel high performance platforms for protein blotting applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bowlin Gary L

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Electrospinning is a non-mechanical processing strategy that can be used to process a variety of native and synthetic polymers into highly porous materials composed of nano-scale to micron-scale diameter fibers. By nature, electrospun materials exhibit an extensive surface area and highly interconnected pore spaces. In this study we adopted a biological engineering approach to ask how the specific unique advantages of the electrospinning process might be exploited to produce a new class of research/diagnostic tools. Methods The electrospinning properties of nitrocellulose, charged nylon and blends of these materials are characterized. Results Nitrocellulose electrospun from a starting concentration of Conclusion The flexibility afforded by electrospinning process makes it possible to tailor blotting membranes to specific applications. Electrospinning has a variety of potential applications in the clinical diagnostic field of use.

Characterization of Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Nanobiomedical Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Emul, E.; Saglam, S.; Ates, H.; Korkusuz, F.; Saglam, N.

2016-08-01

The electrospinning method is employed in the production of porous fiber scaffolds, and the usage of electrospun scaffolds especially as drug carrier and bone reconstructive material such as implants is promising for future applications in tissue engineering. The number of publications has grown very rapidly in this field through the fabrication of complex scaffolds, novel approaches in nanotechnology, and improvements of imaging methods. Hence, characterization of these materials has also grown significantly important for getting satisfied and accurate results. This advantageous and versatile method is ideal for mimicking bone extracellular matrix, and many biodegradable and biocompatible polymers are preferred in the field of bone reconstruction. In this study, gelatin, gelatin/nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp) and gelatin/PLLA/nHAp scaffolds were fabricated by the electrospinning process. These composite fibers showed clear and continuous morphology according to observation through a scanning electron microscope and their component analyses were also determined by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer analyses. These characterization experiments revealed the great effects of the electrospinning method for biomedical applications and have an especially important role in bone reconstruction and production of implant coating material.

Chitosan functionalized poly-ε-caprolactone electrospun fibers and 3D printed scaffolds as antibacterial materials for tissue engineering applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tardajos, Myriam G; Cama, Giuseppe; Dash, Mamoni; Misseeuw, Lara; Gheysens, Tom; Gorzelanny, Christian; Coenye, Tom; Dubruel, Peter

2018-07-01

Tissue engineering (TE) approaches often employ polymer-based scaffolds to provide support with a view to the improved regeneration of damaged tissues. The aim of this research was to develop a surface modification method for introducing chitosan as an antibacterial agent in both electrospun membranes and 3D printed poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. The scaffolds were functionalized by grafting methacrylic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHSMA) onto the surface after Ar-plasma/air activation. Subsequently, the newly-introduced NHS groups were used to couple with chitosan of various molecular weights (Mw). High Mw chitosan exhibited a better coverage of the surface as indicated by the higher N% detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the observations with either scanning electron microscopy (SEM)(for fibers) or Coomassie blue staining (for 3D-printed scaffolds). A lactate dehydrogenase assay (LDH) using L929 fibroblasts demonstrated the cell-adhesion and cell-viability capacity of the modified samples. The antibacterial properties against S. aureus ATCC 6538 and S. epidermidis ET13 revealed a slower bacterial growth rate on the surface of the chitosan modified scaffolds, regardless the chitosan Mw. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Modified Natural Rubber on PVC-ENR Electrospun Membrane: Thermal and Morphological Studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahathir Mohamed; Dahlan Mohd; Ratnam, C.T.; Pairu Ibrahim

2016-01-01

Electrospun fibers membrane (EFM) based on modified epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was successfully prepared by electro spinning technique. Epoxidized natural rubber was firstly prepared in solution by using 5 L flask and exposed to high intensity UV lamp for degradation. The PVC/ ENR mixture solution concentration were about 16 wt% and blended for 5 hours for homogeneity. The PVC/ ENR mixture were electro spun to form fibers membrane. The sample of electro spun fibers membrane were cured by electron beam. The resulting membranes were characterized for thermal and morphological studies. Thermal decomposition behavior of EFM was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Thermo gram from TGA showed two stages of degradation for all formulation (90:10, 80:20, 70:30 PVC/ ENR) from 240 to 265 degree Celsius and 400 to 410 degree Celsius, respectively. From the DSC thermo gram of PVC/ ENR electro spun fibers showed that the addition of ENR resulted in the shifting of glass transition temperature (Tg) towards lower temperatures. The morphology of electro spun fibers was examined using scanning electron microscopy and it showed a variety of fiber morphologies. (author)

Bagging system, soil stabilization mat, and tent frame for a lunar base

Science.gov (United States)

1990-01-01

Georgia Tech's School of Textile and Fiber Engineering and School of Mechanical Engineering participated in four cooperative design efforts this year. Each of two interdisciplinary teams designed a system consisting of a lunar regolith bag and an apparatus for filling this bag. The third group designed a mat for stabilization of lunar soil during takeoff and landing, and a method for packaging and deploying this mat. Finally, the fourth group designed a sunlight diffusing tent to be used as a lunar worksite. Summaries of these projects are given.

MOFabric: Electrospun Nanofiber Mats from PVDF/UiO-66-NH2 for Chemical Protection and Decontamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Annie Xi; McEntee, Monica; Browe, Matthew A; Hall, Morgan G; DeCoste, Jared B; Peterson, Gregory W

2017-04-19

Textiles capable of capture and detoxification of toxic chemicals, such as chemical-warfare agents (CWAs), are of high interest. Some metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit superior reactivity toward CWAs. However, it remains a challenge to integrate powder MOFs into engineered materials like textiles, while retaining functionalities like crystallinity, adsorptivity, and reactivity. Here, we present a simple method of electrospinning UiO-66-NH 2 , a zirconium MOF, with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The electrospun composite, which we refer to as "MOFabric", exhibits comparable crystal patterns, surface area, chlorine uptake, and simulant hydrolysis to powder UiO-66-NH 2 . The MOFabric is also capable of breaking down GD (O-pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridae) faster than powder UiO-66-NH 2. Half-life of GD monitored by solid-state NMR for MOFabric is 131 min versus 315 min on powder UiO-66-NH 2 .

Crosslinked electrospun PVA nanofibrous membranes: elucidation of their physicochemical, physicomechanical and molecular disposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, Rubina P; Kumar, Pradeep; Choonara, Yahya E; Du Toit, Lisa C; Pillay, Viness

2012-01-01

The effects of modifying electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers through crosslinking using glutaraldehyde (GA) are explored in this paper. Various concentrations of PVA solutions containing model drugs rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) were electrospun and thereafter crosslinked using GA vapors. PVA nanofibers demonstrated high drug entrapment efficiency of 98.77% ± 1.384% and 95.07% ± 1.988% for the INH- and RIF-loaded PVA nanofibers, respectively. The surface morphology, molecular vibrational transitions, tensile attributes and in vitro drug release were characterized and supported by in silico molecular mechanics simulations. Results indicated that crosslinking caused a significant reduction in the rate of drug release where 81.11% ± 2.35% of INH and 59.31% ± 2.57% of RIF were released after 12 h. Tensile properties such as the ultimate strength and Young's modulus increased after crosslinking, caused by crosslinks forming between PVA nanofibers as was revealed through scanning electron microscopy analysis. Fourier Transform infrared analysis was conducted to further support the mode of crosslinking. Additionally, image processing analysis was carried out to quantify the effect of formulation variables on the morphology of nanofibers. Furthermore, the effect of GA-induced crosslinking and addition of drugs on the performance of electrospun fibers was further elucidated and conceptualized using a molecular mechanics assisted model building and energy refinement approach via molecular mechanics energy relationships by exploring the spatial disposition of energy-minimized molecular structures of the polymer, crosslinker and the drugs. (paper)

Modification of PLGA Nanofibrous Mats by Electron Beam Irradiation for Soft Tissue Regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae Baek Lee

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Biodegradable poly(lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA has found widespread use in modern medical practice. However, the degradation rate of PLGA should be adjusted for specific biomedical applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and surgical implantation. This study focused on the effect of electron beam radiation on nanofibrous PLGA mats in terms of physical properties and degradation behavior with cell proliferation. PLGA nanofiber mats were prepared by electrospinning, and electron beam was irradiated at doses of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 kGy. PLGA mats showed dimensional integrity after electron beam irradiation without change of fiber diameter. The degradation behavior of a control PLGA nanofiber (0 kGy and electron beam-irradiated PLGA nanofibers was analyzed by measuring the molecular weight, weight loss, change of chemical structure, and fibrous morphology. The molecular weight of the PLGA nanofibers decreased with increasing electron beam radiation dose. The mechanical properties of the PLGA nanofibrous mats were decreased with increasing electron beam irradiation dose. Cell proliferation behavior on all electron beam irradiated PLGA mats was similar to the control PLGA mats. Electron beam irradiation of PLGA nanofibrous mats is a potentially useful approach for modulating the biodegradation rate of tissue-specific nonwoven nanofibrous scaffolds, specifically for soft tissue engineering applications.

Study of Polydiacetylene-Poly (Ethylene Oxide Electrospun Fibers Used as Biosensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A K M Mashud Alam

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Polydiacetylene (PDA is an attractive conjugated material for use in biosensors due to its unique characteristic of undergoing a blue-to-red color change in response to external stimuli. 10,12-Pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA and poly (ethylene oxide (PEO were used in this study to develop fiber composites via an electrospinning method at various mass ratios of PEO to PCDA, solution concentrations, and injection speeds. The PEO-PDA fibers in blue phase were obtained via photo-polymerization upon UV-light irritation. High mass ratios of PEO to PCDA, low polymer concentrations of spinning solution, and low injection speeds promoted fine fibers with small diameters and smooth surfaces. The colorimetric transition of the fibers was investigated when the fibers were heated at temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 120 °C. A color switch from blue to red in the fibers was observed when the fibers were heated at temperatures greater than 60 °C. The color transition was more sensitive in the fibers made with a low mass ratio of PEO to PCDA due to high fraction of PDA in the fibers. The large diameter fibers also promoted the color switch due to high reflectance area in the fibers. All of the fibers were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and compared before and after the color change occurred. The colorimetric transitional mechanism is proposed to occur due to conformational changes in the PDA macromolecules.

Electro-spun PLA-PEG-yarns for tissue engineering applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruse, Magnus; Greuel, Marc; Kreimendahl, Franziska; Schneiders, Thomas; Bauer, Benedict; Gries, Thomas; Jockenhoevel, Stefan

2018-06-27

Electro-spinning is widely used in tissue-engineered applications mostly in form of non-woven structures. The development of e-spun yarn opens the door for textile fabrics which combine the micro to nanoscale dimension of electro-spun filaments with three-dimensional (3D) drapable textile fabrics. Therefore, the aim of the study was the implementation of a process for electro-spun yarns. Polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were spun from chloroform solutions with varying PLA/PEG ratios (100:0, 90:10, 75:25 and 50:50). The yarn samples produced were analyzed regarding their morphology, tensile strength, water uptake and cytocompatibility. It was found that the yarn diameter decreased when the funnel collector rotation was increasd, however, the fiber diameter was not influenced. The tensile strength was also found to be dependent on the PEG content. While samples composed of 100% PLA showed a tensile strength of 2.5±0.7 cN/tex, the tensile strength increased with a decreasing PLA content (PLA 75%/PEG 25%) to 6.2±0.5 cN/tex. The variation of the PEG content also influenced the viscosity of the spinning solutions. The investigation of the cytocompatibility with endothelial cells was conducted for PLA/PEG 90:10 and 75:25 and indicated that the samples are cytocompatible.

Evaluation of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and poly(DL-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) electrospun fibers for the treatment of HSV-2 infection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aniagyei, Stella E.; Sims, Lee B. [Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Malik, Danial A. [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Tyo, Kevin M. [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Curry, Keegan C. [Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Kim, Woihwan [Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Hodge, Daniel A. [Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Duan, Jinghua [Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Steinbach-Rankins, Jill M., E-mail: jill.steinbach@louisville.edu [Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States)

2017-03-01

More diverse multipurpose prevention technologies are urgently needed to provide localized, topical pre-exposure prophylaxis against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In this work, we established the foundation for a multipurpose platform, in the form of polymeric electrospun fibers (EFs), to physicochemically treat herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) infection. To initiate this study, we fabricated different formulations of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(DL-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) EFs that encapsulate Acyclovir (ACV), to treat HSV-2 infection in vitro. Our goals were to assess the release and efficacy differences provided by these two different biodegradable polymers, and to determine how differing concentrations of ACV affected fiber efficacy against HSV-2 infection and the safety of each platform in vitro. Each formulation of PLGA and PLCL EFs exhibited high encapsulation efficiency of ACV, sustained-delivery of ACV through one month, and in vitro biocompatibility at the highest doses of EFs tested. Additionally, all EF formulations provided complete and efficacious protection against HSV-2 infection in vitro, regardless of the timeframe of collected fiber eluates tested. This work demonstrates the potential for PLGA and PLCL EFs as delivery platforms against HSV-2, and indicates that these delivery vehicles may be expanded upon to provide protection against other sexually transmitted infections. - Highlights: • PLGA and PLCL EFs exhibit sustained-delivery of ACV through one month. • EFs exhibit high ACV encapsulation efficiency and in vitro biocompatibility. • EFs serve as both physical and chemical barriers to HSV-2 infection. • Potent in vitro efficacy is provided against HSV-2 infection for all formulations. • HSV-2 protection is independent of administration times within one month.

Evaluation of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and poly(DL-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) electrospun fibers for the treatment of HSV-2 infection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aniagyei, Stella E.; Sims, Lee B.; Malik, Danial A.; Tyo, Kevin M.; Curry, Keegan C.; Kim, Woihwan; Hodge, Daniel A.; Duan, Jinghua; Steinbach-Rankins, Jill M.

2017-01-01

More diverse multipurpose prevention technologies are urgently needed to provide localized, topical pre-exposure prophylaxis against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In this work, we established the foundation for a multipurpose platform, in the form of polymeric electrospun fibers (EFs), to physicochemically treat herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) infection. To initiate this study, we fabricated different formulations of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(DL-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) EFs that encapsulate Acyclovir (ACV), to treat HSV-2 infection in vitro. Our goals were to assess the release and efficacy differences provided by these two different biodegradable polymers, and to determine how differing concentrations of ACV affected fiber efficacy against HSV-2 infection and the safety of each platform in vitro. Each formulation of PLGA and PLCL EFs exhibited high encapsulation efficiency of ACV, sustained-delivery of ACV through one month, and in vitro biocompatibility at the highest doses of EFs tested. Additionally, all EF formulations provided complete and efficacious protection against HSV-2 infection in vitro, regardless of the timeframe of collected fiber eluates tested. This work demonstrates the potential for PLGA and PLCL EFs as delivery platforms against HSV-2, and indicates that these delivery vehicles may be expanded upon to provide protection against other sexually transmitted infections. - Highlights: • PLGA and PLCL EFs exhibit sustained-delivery of ACV through one month. • EFs exhibit high ACV encapsulation efficiency and in vitro biocompatibility. • EFs serve as both physical and chemical barriers to HSV-2 infection. • Potent in vitro efficacy is provided against HSV-2 infection for all formulations. • HSV-2 protection is independent of administration times within one month.

The quintuple-shape memory effect in electrospun nanofiber membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fenghua; Zhang, Zhichun; Liu, Yanju; Lu, Haibao; Leng, Jinsong

2013-08-01

Shape memory fibrous membranes (SMFMs) are an emerging class of active polymers, which are capable of switching from a temporary shape to their permanent shape upon appropriate stimulation. Quintuple-shape memory membranes based on the thermoplastic polymer Nafion, with a stable fibrous structure, are achieved via electrospinning technology, and possess a broad transition temperature. The recovery of multiple temporary shapes of electrospun membranes can be triggered by heat in a single triple-, quadruple-, quintuple-shape memory cycle, respectively. The fiber morphology and nanometer size provide unprecedented design flexibility for the adjustable morphing effect. SMFMs enable complex deformations at need, having a wide potential application field including smart textiles, artificial intelligence robots, bio-medical engineering, aerospace technologies, etc in the future.

The quintuple-shape memory effect in electrospun nanofiber membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Fenghua; Zhang, Zhichun; Lu, Haibao; Leng, Jinsong; Liu, Yanju

2013-01-01

Shape memory fibrous membranes (SMFMs) are an emerging class of active polymers, which are capable of switching from a temporary shape to their permanent shape upon appropriate stimulation. Quintuple-shape memory membranes based on the thermoplastic polymer Nafion, with a stable fibrous structure, are achieved via electrospinning technology, and possess a broad transition temperature. The recovery of multiple temporary shapes of electrospun membranes can be triggered by heat in a single triple-, quadruple-, quintuple-shape memory cycle, respectively. The fiber morphology and nanometer size provide unprecedented design flexibility for the adjustable morphing effect. SMFMs enable complex deformations at need, having a wide potential application field including smart textiles, artificial intelligence robots, bio-medical engineering, aerospace technologies, etc in the future. (paper)

Micro- and Nano-fibers by Electrospinning Technology: Processing, Properties, and Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chronakis, Ioannis S.

2015-01-01

Micro- and nano-structures such as micro- and nano-fibers and micro- and nano-particles based on polymers (synthetic and natural) can be processed by electrospinning. Electrospun micro- and nano-structures are an exciting class of novel materials due to several unique characteristics, including...

Electrospun composite matrices of poly(ε-caprolactone)-montmorillonite made using tenside free Pickering emulsions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samanta, Archana; Takkar, Sonam; Kulshreshtha, Ritu; Nandan, Bhanu; Srivastava, Rajiv K.

2016-01-01

The production of composite electrospun matrices of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) using an emulsifier-free emulsion, made with minimal organic solvent, as precursor is reported. Pickering emulsions of PCL were prepared using modified montmorillonite (MMT) clay as the stabilizer. Hydrophobic tallow group of the modified MMT clay resulted in analogous interaction of clay with oil and aqueous phase and its adsorption at the interface to provide stability to the resultant emulsion. Composite fibrous matrices of PCL and MMT were produced using electrospinning under controlled conditions. The fiber fineness was found to alter with PCL concentration and volume fraction of the aqueous and oil phases. A higher tensile strength and modulus was obtained with inclusion of MMT in PCL electrospun matrix in comparison to a matrix made using neat PCL. The presence of clay in the fibrous matrix did not change the cell proliferation efficiency in comparison to neat PCL matrix. Composite fibrous matrices of PCL/MMT bearing enhanced tensile properties may find applications in areas other than tissue engineering for example food packaging and filtration. - Highlights: • Tenside free, clay stabilized Pickering emulsion of PCL is made with minimal organic solvent. • Organic–inorganic composite fibrous matrices were produced via emulsion electrospinning. • Fiber fineness was efficiently controlled by variation in emulsion formulation. • Fibrous matrices of high tensile strength and modulus were obtained in comparison to neat PCL matrix. • PCL/clay matrices showed effective cell proliferation as a neat PCL matrix.

Electrospun composite matrices of poly(ε-caprolactone)-montmorillonite made using tenside free Pickering emulsions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samanta, Archana [Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 (India); Takkar, Sonam; Kulshreshtha, Ritu [Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 (India); Nandan, Bhanu [Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 (India); Srivastava, Rajiv K., E-mail: rajiv@textile.iitd.ac.in [Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 (India)

2016-12-01

The production of composite electrospun matrices of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) using an emulsifier-free emulsion, made with minimal organic solvent, as precursor is reported. Pickering emulsions of PCL were prepared using modified montmorillonite (MMT) clay as the stabilizer. Hydrophobic tallow group of the modified MMT clay resulted in analogous interaction of clay with oil and aqueous phase and its adsorption at the interface to provide stability to the resultant emulsion. Composite fibrous matrices of PCL and MMT were produced using electrospinning under controlled conditions. The fiber fineness was found to alter with PCL concentration and volume fraction of the aqueous and oil phases. A higher tensile strength and modulus was obtained with inclusion of MMT in PCL electrospun matrix in comparison to a matrix made using neat PCL. The presence of clay in the fibrous matrix did not change the cell proliferation efficiency in comparison to neat PCL matrix. Composite fibrous matrices of PCL/MMT bearing enhanced tensile properties may find applications in areas other than tissue engineering for example food packaging and filtration. - Highlights: • Tenside free, clay stabilized Pickering emulsion of PCL is made with minimal organic solvent. • Organic–inorganic composite fibrous matrices were produced via emulsion electrospinning. • Fiber fineness was efficiently controlled by variation in emulsion formulation. • Fibrous matrices of high tensile strength and modulus were obtained in comparison to neat PCL matrix. • PCL/clay matrices showed effective cell proliferation as a neat PCL matrix.

Tendon tissue engineering: Adipose 1 derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems

Science.gov (United States)

James, R; Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T; Balian, G; Chhabra, A B

2011-01-01

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable when combined with readily available autologous cells may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker was upregulated 7 – 8 fold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by 4 fold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100ng/mL GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration. PMID:21436509

Electrospun polyurethane membranes for Tissue Engineering applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gabriel, Laís P., E-mail: lagabriel@gmail.com [National Institute of Biofabrication, Campinas (Brazil); Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas (Brazil); Rodrigues, Ana Amélia [National Institute of Biofabrication, Campinas (Brazil); Department of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas (Brazil); Macedo, Milton; Jardini, André L.; Maciel Filho, Rubens [National Institute of Biofabrication, Campinas (Brazil); Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas (Brazil)

2017-03-01

Tissue Engineering proposes, among other things, tissue regeneration using scaffolds integrated with biological molecules, growth factors or cells for such regeneration. In this research, polyurethane membranes were prepared using the electrospinning technique in order to obtain membranes to be applied in Tissue Engineering, such as epithelial, drug delivery or cardiac applications. The influence of fibers on the structure and morphology of the membranes was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the structure was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and the thermal stability was analyzed by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). In vitro cells attachment and proliferation was investigated by SEM, and in vitro cell viability was studied by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays and Live/Dead® assays. It was found that the membranes present an homogeneous morphology, high porosity, high surface area/volume ratio, it was also observed a random fiber network. The thermal analysis showed that the membrane degradation started at 254 °C. In vitro evaluation of fibroblasts cells showed that fibroblasts spread over the membrane surface after 24, 48 and 72 h of culture. This study supports the investigation of electrospun polyurethane membranes as biocompatible scaffolds for Tissue Engineering applications and provides some guidelines for improved biomaterials with desired properties.

Improved capacitance characteristics of electrospun ACFs by pore size control and vanadium catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Im, Ji Sun; Woo, Sang-Wook; Jung, Min-Jung; Lee, Young-Seak

2008-11-01

Nano-sized carbon fibers were prepared by using electrospinning, and their electrochemical properties were investigated as a possible electrode material for use as an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC). To improve the electrode capacitance of EDLC, we implemented a three-step optimization. First, metal catalyst was introduced into the carbon fibers due to the excellent conductivity of metal. Vanadium pentoxide was used because it could be converted to vanadium for improved conductivity as the pore structure develops during the carbonization step. Vanadium catalyst was well dispersed in the carbon fibers, improving the capacitance of the electrode. Second, pore-size development was manipulated to obtain small mesopore sizes ranging from 2 to 5 nm. Through chemical activation, carbon fibers with controlled pore sizes were prepared with a high specific surface and pore volume, and their pore structure was investigated by using a BET apparatus. Finally, polyacrylonitrile was used as a carbon precursor to enrich for nitrogen content in the final product because nitrogen is known to improve electrode capacitance. Ultimately, the electrospun activated carbon fibers containing vanadium show improved functionality in charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, and specific capacitance compared with other samples because of an optimal combination of vanadium, nitrogen, and fixed pore structures.

Preparation, characterization, and cytotoxicity of CPT/Fe2O3-embedded PLGA ultrafine composite fibers: a synergistic approach to develop promising anticancer material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amna T

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Touseef Amna1, M Shamshi Hassan2, Ki-Taek Nam2, Yang You Bing3, Nasser AM Barakat2, Myung-Seob Khil2, Hak Yong Kim1,21Center for Healthcare Technology Development, 2Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea; 3Animal Science and Technology College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, ChinaAbstract: The aim of this study was to fabricate camptothecin/iron(III oxide (CPT/Fe2O3-loaded poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA composite mats to modulate the CPT release and to improve the structural integrity and antitumor activity of the released drug. The CPT/ Fe2O3-loaded PLGA ultrafine fibers were prepared for the first time by electrospinning a composite solution of CPT/Fe2O3 and neat PLGA (4 weight percent. The physicochemical characterization of the electrospun composite mat was carried out by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, thermogravimetry, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction pattern. The medicated composite fibers were evaluated for their cytotoxicity on C2C12 cells using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay (Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, St Louis, MO. The in vitro studies indicated a slow and prolonged release over a period of 96 hours with mild initial burst. Scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, and X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the interaction of CPT/Fe2O3 with the PLGA matrix and showed that the crystallinity of CPT decreased after loading. Incorporation of CPT in the polymer media affected both the morphology and the size of the CPT/Fe2O3-loaded PLGA composite fibers. Electron probe microanalysis and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results confirmed well-oriented composite ultrafine fibers with good incorporation of CPT/Fe2O3. The cytotoxicity results illustrate that the pristine PLGA did not exhibit noteworthy cytotoxicity; conversely, the CPT

Fabrication of electrospun HPGL scaffolds via glycidyl methacrylate cross-linker: Morphology, mechanical and biological properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baratéla, Fernando José Costa; Zazuco Higa, Olga [Biotechnology Center, Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN), Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 2242, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Duarte dos Passos, Esdras [PostGraduate Program in Materials for Engineering, Federal University of Itajubá (UNIFEI), Av. BPS 1303, 37500-903 Itajubá, MG (Brazil); Alencar de Queiroz, Alvaro Antonio, E-mail: alencar@unifei.edu.br [Physics and Chemistry Institute (IFQ), Federal University of Itajubá (UNIFEI), Av. BPS 1303, 37500-903 Itajubá, MG (Brazil); High Voltage Laboratory (LAT-EFEI), Federal University of Itajubá (UNIFEI), Av. BPS 1303, 37500-903 Itajubá, MG (Brazil)

2017-04-01

Electrospinning is a suitable method to produce scaffolds composed of nanoscale to microscale fibers, which are comparable to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPGL) is a highly biocompatible polyether polyol potentially useful for the design of fibrous scaffolds mimicking the ECM architecture. However, scaffolds developed from HPGL have poor mechanical properties and morphological stability in the aqueous environments required for tissue engineering applications. This work reports the production of stable electrospun HPGL scaffolds (EHPGLS) using glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as cross-linker to enhance the water stability and mechanical property of electrospun HPGL. The diameter and morphology of the produced EHPGLS were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was observed that electrical fields in the range of 0.2 kV·cm{sup −1} to 1.0 kV·cm{sup −1} decrease the average fiber diameter of EHPGLS. The increase in porosity of EHPGLS with GMA concentration indicates the in situ formation of a heterogeneous structure resultant from the phase separation during crosslinking of HPGL by GMA. EHPGLS containing 20% (w/w) GMA concentration possessed highest tensile strength (295.4 ± 11.32 kPa), which is approximately 58 times higher than that of non-crosslinked EHPGLS (5.1 ± 2.12 kPa). The MTS cell viability results showed that the EHPGLS have no significant cytotoxicity effect on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates that the cultured BALB/3T3 fibroblasts cells were able to keep contact each other's, thus forming a homogeneous monolayer on the internal surface of the EHPGLS. - Highlights: • A hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPGL) scaffold with elastic modulus of 295.4 ± 11.32 kPa was developed for soft tissue repair. • HPGL scaffold was prepared by electrospinning method. • The porosity of HPGL scaffolds can be tuned by selecting the degree of GMA in HPGL. • Electrospun HPGL

Tendon tissue engineering: adipose-derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R; Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T; Balian, G; Chhabra, A B

2011-01-01

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable, and when combined with readily available autologous cells, may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on a poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to a PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker, was upregulated seven- to eightfold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on a 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by fourfold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100 ng mL -1 GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on a PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration.

Tendon tissue engineering: adipose-derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems.

Science.gov (United States)

James, R; Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T; Balian, G; Chhabra, A B

2011-04-01

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable, and when combined with readily available autologous cells, may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to a PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker, was upregulated seven- to eightfold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on a 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by fourfold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100 ng mL(-1) GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on a PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration.

Tendon tissue engineering: adipose-derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, R [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908 (United States); Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030 (United States); Balian, G; Chhabra, A B, E-mail: ac2h@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908 (United States)

2011-04-15

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable, and when combined with readily available autologous cells, may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on a poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to a PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker, was upregulated seven- to eightfold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on a 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by fourfold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100 ng mL{sup -1} GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on a PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration.

Comparison of cell behavior on pva/pva-gelatin electrospun nanofibers with random and aligned configuration

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chen-Yu; Hu, Keng-Hsiang; Wei, Zung-Hang

2016-12-01

Electrospinning technique is able to create nanofibers with specific orientation. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) have good mechanical stability but poor cell adhesion property due to the low affinity of protein. In this paper, extracellular matrix, gelatin is incorporated into PVA solution to form electrospun PVA-gelatin nanofibers membrane. Both randomly oriented and aligned nanofibers are used to investigate the topography-induced behavior of fibroblasts. Surface morphology of the fibers is studied by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with image analysis. Functional group composition in PVA or PVA-gelatin is investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The morphological changes, surface coverage, viability and proliferation of fibroblasts influenced by PVA and PVA-gelatin nanofibers with randomly orientated or aligned configuration are systematically compared. Fibroblasts growing on PVA-gelatin fibers show significantly larger projected areas as compared with those cultivated on PVA fibers which p-value is smaller than 0.005. Cells on PVA-gelatin aligned fibers stretch out extensively and their intracellular stress fiber pull nucleus to deform. Results suggest that instead of the anisotropic topology within the scaffold trigger the preferential orientation of cells, the adhesion of cell membrane to gelatin have substantial influence on cellular behavior.