Determination of the Mechanical Properties of Electrospun Gelatin Based on Polymer Concentration and Fiber Alignment

Abstract

DETERMINATION OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ELECTROSPUN GELATIN BASED ON POLYMER CONCENTRATION AND FIBER ALIGNMENT By Leander Taylor, 111, B.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: David G. Simpson Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy The process of electrospinning has gven the field of tissue engineering insight into many aspects of tissue engineered scaffolds, including how factors such as fiber diameter and porosity are affected by polymer concentration. However, the affects of fiber alignment upon the material properties of electrospun scaffolds remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to determine how the material properties of electrospun gelatin scaffolds are affected by changes in fiber alignment and starting gelatin concentration. Gelatin scaffolds, with starting concentrations of 80, 100, and 130mglm1, were electrospun xi onto a target iiiaiidrel r~tii'iiiig zit various speeds. Salrples of each scaffold were tiikeii parallel and perpendicular to the axis of mandrel rotation. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) anaiysis was performed on these sampies, to determine how fiber aiignment is affected by starting polymer concentration and the rotational speed of the target mandrel. Mechanical tests were aiso performed on these samples. Resuits were anaiyzed by -i-hree--way ANOVA. It was determined that starting gelatin concentration, mandrel speed, and direction of iiber alignment interact together to produce effects on the mechanical properties of electrospun gelatin scaffolds.