Abstract
Recently, the electrospinning technique has been explored as a natural and synthetic polymer processing tool due to its versatility and potential to generate complex structures at a nanoscale. In this work, non-woven nanofibrous mats were electrospun, with a structure resembling the extracellular matrix, for prospective biomedical uses. Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and cellulose acetate (CA) based electrospun nanofibrous meshes were prepared at different ratios 100/0, 90/10, 80/20 and 70/30 and characterized in terms of fiber diameter. The process was kept as green as possible by resorting to a combination of acetic acid and distilled water as solvents. Optimal conditions for PVA/CA processing were established at 29 kV, feeding rate of 0.8 mL/h and distance between needle and collector of 17 cm. These allowed for the most uniform fibers with the smallest diameters to be produced.
Highlights
Since the late 20th century, the electrospinning has been garnering increasing attention in the scientific community, as well as in the industry [1] due its relatively simple setup, cost-effectiveness, ease of process and versatility [2,3]
Electrospun nanofibrous mats are characterized by their large surface area, controllable fibre diameters and structures and unique surface morphologies, which can be obtained by varying for instance the molecular weight of the polymers and the polymeric solution properties
(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), for instance, is known for its high hydrophilic, nontoxic and biocompatible nature, possesses good physicochemical properties that account for their mechanical stability, flexibility and slow degradation kinetics, well above nanofibrous made of natural polymers, and presents high capacity of spinnability [8,9]
Summary
Since the late 20th century, the electrospinning has been garnering increasing attention in the scientific community, as well as in the industry [1] due its relatively simple setup, cost-effectiveness, ease of process and versatility [2,3]. Electrospun nanofibrous mats are characterized by their large surface area, controllable fibre diameters and structures (i.e. dense, hollow, and porous) and unique surface morphologies, which can be obtained by varying for instance the molecular weight of the polymers and the polymeric solution properties (viscosity, conductivity, dielectric constant, and surface tension). Processing parameters such as voltage power supply, feeding rate, distance between needle and collecting plate, as well as the use of coaxial or triaxial needles for hollow, core–shell or multi-sheathed structures, and even the temperature and humidity during processing, are of extreme importance during mats production, exerting much influence in the final product [4,5]. Synthetic polymers have been conjugated with natural polymers, which exhibit superior biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, and some even display intrinsic
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