Abstract
A novel method for fabricating highly ordered fiber micropatterns by assembly of electrospun nanofiber segments was described. Polymethylglutarimide (PMGI) fiber segments with an average length of 3 µm were prepared by combining electrospinning with subsequent sonication treatment. Afterwards, the fiber segments dispersed in water were assembled on Norland optical adhesive (NOA) templates with different microstructural sizes and shapes, allowing formation of spatially uniform nanofibrous micropatterns on flat glass substrate. Regular fiber microarrays were produced when the feature size of NOA template was larger than 30 µm for square and strip geometry. In each microdot, the fiber segments had several layer thicknesses. This new method, which can prepare fiber micropatterns for different materials and microstructures, is suitable for functional device and cell biology applications.
Highlights
Electrospinning produces continuous fibers of various natural and synthetic polymer systems, during which a pendent drop of polymer at the nozzle of a spinneret is highly electrified by applying a high voltage between the spinneret and the collector
To maximally mimic natural extracellular cell matrix (ECM) scaffolds, it is of great significance to develop a method for preparing electrospun fibers with more complex and regular structures for biomedical applications
We presented a novel strategy for the production of fiber micropatterns by combining conventional electrospinning with assembly of fiber segments on a featured template
Summary
Electrospinning produces continuous fibers of various natural and synthetic polymer systems, during which a pendent drop of polymer at the nozzle of a spinneret is highly electrified by applying a high voltage between the spinneret and the collector. When the electrostatic repulsion force exerted by the external field overcomes the surface tension of the solution, a fluid jet is ejected out from the spinneret, travelling through air with continuous solvent evaporation. It is deposited on the collector [1,2,3]. To maximally mimic natural ECM scaffolds, it is of great significance to develop a method for preparing electrospun fibers with more complex and regular structures for biomedical applications
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