Plant‐Inspired Soft Bistable Structures Based on Hygroscopic Electrospun Nanofibers

Background: The purpose of this study was to formulate, characterize and conduct in vitro cytotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil loaded polymeric electrospun nanofibers for the treatment of skin cancer. The patents on electrospun nanofibers (US9393216B2), (US14146252), (WO2015003155A1) etc. helped in the selection of polymers and method for the preparation of nanofibers. Methods: In the present study, the fabrication of nanofibers was done using a blend of chitosan with polyvinyl alcohol and processed using the electrospinning technique. 5-fluorouracil with known chemotherapeutic potential in the treatment of skin cancer was used as a drug carrier. 24-1 fractional factorial screening design was employed to study the effect of independent variables like the concentration of the polymeric solution, applied voltage (kV), distance (cm), flow rate (ml / hr) on dependent variables like % entrapment efficiency and fiber diameter. Results: Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize fiber diameter and morphology. Results showed that the fiber diameter of all batches was found in the range of 100-200 nm. The optimized batch results showed the fiber diameter of 162.7 nm with uniform fibers. The tensile strength obtained was 190±37 Mpa. Further in vitro and ex vivo drug release profile suggested a controlled release mechanism for an extended period of 24 hr. The 5-fluorouracil loaded electrospun nanofibers were found to decrease cell viability up to ≥50% over 24 hr, with the number of cells dropping by ~ 10% over 48 hr. As the cell viability was affected by the release of 5-fluorouracil, we believe that electrospun nanofibers are a promising drug delivery system for the treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) skin cancer. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the possibility of delivering 5-Fluorouracil loaded electrospun nanofiber to skin with enhanced encapsulation efficiency indicating the effectiveness of the formulation for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma type of skin cancer.

Download Full-text

Electrospun nanofibers prepared using polystyrene (PS) with polymeric additives for the determination of nicotine in cigarette mainstream smoke

Analytical Methods ◽

10.1039/c4ay00165f ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 6 (14) ◽

pp. 5120-5126 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Zhifeng Guo ◽

Xiaoyang Wu ◽

Jingjing Dong ◽

Hiudan Su ◽

Ru Cai

Keyword(s):

Solid Phase Extraction ◽

Extraction Efficiency ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Phase Extraction ◽

Mainstream Smoke ◽

Polymeric Additives ◽

Cigarette Mainstream Smoke

The objective of this paper is to use electrospun nanofibers as the adsorbents in solid phase extraction (SPE) to improve the extraction efficiency.

Download Full-text

Direct molecular imprinting technique to synthesize coated electrospun nanofibers for selective solid-phase microextraction of chlorpyrifos

Microchimica Acta ◽

10.1007/s00604-019-3641-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 186 (8) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Vajihe Mohammadi ◽

Mohammad Saraji ◽

Mohammad Taghi Jafari

Keyword(s):

Molecular Imprinting ◽

Solid Phase Microextraction ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Molecular Imprinting Technique

Download Full-text

Electrospun nanofibers with CdTe QDs, CdTeSe QDs and CdTe/CdS core-shell QDs

2017 IEEE 7th International Conference Nanomaterials: Application & Properties (NAP) ◽

10.1109/nap.2017.8190290 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Canan Baslak ◽

Ozcan Koysuren ◽

Mahmut Kus

Keyword(s):

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Core Shell ◽

Cdte Qds

Download Full-text

Transport properties of layered fabric systems based on electrospun nanofibers

Fibers and Polymers ◽

10.1007/bf02875872 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 501-506 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Seungsin Lee ◽

S. Kay Obendorf

Keyword(s):

Transport Properties ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Layered Fabric

Download Full-text

Focused Patterning of Electrospun Nanofibers Using a Dielectric Guide Structure

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13091505 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 1505

Author(s):

Byeongjun Lee ◽

Younghyeon Song ◽

Chan Park ◽

Jungmin Kim ◽

Jeongbeom Kang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Finite Elements ◽

Electric Field ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Electrospun Fibers ◽

Continuous Line ◽

Key Factors ◽

Key Technology ◽

Vertical Electric Field ◽

Dielectric Guide

The patterning of electrospun fibers is a key technology applicable to various fields. This study reports a novel focused patterning method for electrospun nanofibers that uses a cylindrical dielectric guide. The finite elements method (FEM) was used to analyze the electric field focusing phenomenon and ground its explanation in established theory. The horizontal and vertical electric field strengths in the simulation are shown to be key factors in determining the spatial distribution of nanofibers. The experimental results demonstrate a relationship between the size of the cylindrical dielectric guide and that of the electrospun area accumulated in the collector. By concentrating the electric field, we were able to fabricate a pattern of less than 6 mm. The demonstration of continuous line and square patterning shows that the electrospun area can be well controlled. This novel patterning method can be used in a variety of applications, such as sensors, biomedical devices, batteries, and composites.

Download Full-text

Conformal Fabrication of an Electrospun Nanofiber Mat on a 3D Ear Cartilage-Shaped Hydrogel Collector Based on Hydrogel-Assisted Electrospinning

Nanoscale Research Letters ◽

10.1186/s11671-021-03571-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jin Yeong Song ◽

Hyun Il Ryu ◽

Jeong Myeong Lee ◽

Seong Hwan Bae ◽

Jae Woo Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Three Dimensional ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Cell Delivery ◽

Complex Geometries ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Uniform Thickness ◽

Electrospun Nanofiber ◽

Electrospinning Technique ◽

Ear Cartilage ◽

Focused Electric Field

AbstractElectrospinning is a common and versatile process to produce nanofibers and deposit them on a collector as a two-dimensional nanofiber mat or a three-dimensional (3D) macroscopic arrangement. However, 3D electroconductive collectors with complex geometries, including protruded, curved, and recessed regions, generally caused hampering of a conformal deposition and incomplete covering of electrospun nanofibers. In this study, we suggested a conformal fabrication of an electrospun nanofiber mat on a 3D ear cartilage-shaped hydrogel collector based on hydrogel-assisted electrospinning. To relieve the influence of the complex geometries, we flattened the protruded parts of the 3D ear cartilage-shaped hydrogel collector by exploiting the flexibility of the hydrogel. We found that the suggested fabrication technique could significantly decrease an unevenly focused electric field, caused by the complex geometries of the 3D collector, by alleviating the standard deviation by more than 70% through numerical simulation. Furthermore, it was experimentally confirmed that an electrospun nanofiber mat conformally covered the flattened hydrogel collector with a uniform thickness, which was not achieved with the original hydrogel collector. Given that this study established the conformal electrospinning technique on 3D electroconductive collectors, it will contribute to various studies related to electrospinning, including tissue engineering, drug/cell delivery, environmental filter, and clothing.

Download Full-text

Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Poly(acrylonitrile-co-Methyl Acrylate)/Lignin Nanofibers: Effects of Lignin Type and Total Polymer Concentration

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13070992 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 992

Author(s):

Suchitha Devadas ◽

Saja M. Nabat Al-Ajrash ◽

Donald A. Klosterman ◽

Kenya M. Crosson ◽

Garry S. Crosson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Methyl Acrylate ◽

Lignin Content ◽

Polymer Concentration ◽

Weight Ratio ◽

Electrospun Nanofibers ◽

Polymer Content ◽

Blend Ratio ◽

Blend Ratios ◽

Poly Acrylonitrile

Lignin macromolecules are potential precursor materials for producing electrospun nanofibers for composite applications. However, little is known about the effect of lignin type and blend ratios with synthetic polymers. This study analyzed blends of poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl acrylate) (PAN-MA) with two types of commercially available lignin, low sulfonate (LSL) and alkali, kraft lignin (AL), in DMF solvent. The electrospinning and polymer blend solution conditions were optimized to produce thermally stable, smooth lignin-based nanofibers with total polymer content of up to 20 wt % in solution and a 50/50 blend weight ratio. Microscopy studies revealed that AL blends possess good solubility, miscibility, and dispersibility compared to LSL blends. Despite the lignin content or type, rheological studies demonstrated that PAN-MA concentration in solution dictated the blend’s viscosity. Smooth electrospun nanofibers were fabricated using AL depending upon the total polymer content and blend ratio. AL’s addition to PAN-MA did not affect the glass transition or degradation temperatures of the nanofibers compared to neat PAN-MA. We confirmed the presence of each lignin type within PAN-MA nanofibers through infrared spectroscopy. PAN-MA/AL nanofibers possessed similar morphological and thermal properties as PAN-MA; thus, these lignin-based nanofibers can replace PAN in future applications, including production of carbon fibers and supercapacitors.

Download Full-text