Abstract
Blend electrospun scaffolds composed of Polycaprolactone and Pluronic are suitable for bone tissue engineering due to their excellent biocompatibility and hydrophilicity. However, exceeding from certain amounts of Pluronic, surface enrichment of this polymer leads to segregation of Pluronic chains within the fiber, endangering the integrity and mechanical properties of the scaffold. In this article, a novel method of blend electrospinning has been employed using a parallel water supply, positioning the Pluronic chains on the surface, thus enhancing the miscibility within the fibers. Water uptake test revealed the super hydrophilicity of obtained scaffolds. Atr-FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified a higher percentage of Pluronics on the surface in comparison with conventional blend electrospinning. Tensile test demonstrated improved mechanical properties of the modified scaffolds. The results of cytocompatibility tests have also revealed enhanced viability of cells on these scaffolds confirming their great promise for clinical applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 1204-1212, 2019.
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