Abstract
Electrospinning (ES) is a convenient and versatile method for the fabrication of nanofibers and has been utilized in many fields including pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Conventional ES uses a needle spinneret for the generation of nanofibers and is associated with many limitations and drawbacks (i.e., needle clogging, limited production capacity, and low yield). Needleless electrospinning (NLES) has been proposed to overcome these problems. Within the last two decades (2004–2020), many research articles have been published reporting the use of NLES for the fabrication of polymeric nanofibers intended for drug delivery and biomedical tissue engineering applications. The objective of the present mini-review article is to elucidate the potential of NLES for designing such novel nanofibrous drug delivery systems and tissue engineering constructs. This paper also gives an overview of the key NLES approaches, including the most recently introduced NLES method: ultrasound-enhanced electrospinning (USES). The technologies underlying NLES systems and an evaluation of electrospun nanofibers are presented. Even though NLES is a promising approach for the industrial production of nanofibers, it is a multivariate process, and more research work is needed to elucidate its full potential and limitations.
Highlights
Nanofiber technology involves the manufacturing and processing of fibers with nanoscale dimensions; the properties of such fibers are greatly dependent on their size
The results showed that the hydrophilicity and morphology of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/CS/Gr nanofibrous membranes were affected by the presence of CS, while the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis revealed hydrogen-bonding between CS and PVA, which enhanced the thermal properties of the membranes
For pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, the liquid solutions used in the ES process are comprised of polymeric solutions, emulsions, suspensions or melts containing one or more active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
Summary
Nanofiber technology involves the manufacturing and processing of fibers with nanoscale dimensions; the properties of such fibers are greatly dependent on their size (diameter). ES is a simple and versatile process, some challenges associated with its low production rate and the utilization of needles as spinnerets have limited its full potential in fabricating nanofibers [3]. Multi-needle spinnerets present challenges and do not resolve the problem of needle clogging [1,3]. For this reason, needleless electrospinning (NLES) systems have been developed to increase nanofiber production rates and overcome the needle-associated challenges of the conventional ES process [5]. The present mini-review article was conducted by using the Scopus® (Elsevier) and the PubMed®. Its aim was to elucidate the potential of NLES in the fabrication of nanofibers for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. NLES potential of NLES in the fabrication of nanofibers for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.
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