Hybrid Nanofibers Research Articles

Interfacial modulation of SiC/TiC hybrid nanofibers for fabricating flexible ceramic electromagnetic wave absorbers

Titanium Carbide (TiC), characterized by its hardness, conductivity and thermal stability, can serve as a suitable additive phase for SiC nanofibers. TiC phase can improve the flexibility and electromagnetic wave absorption property of SiC nanofibers without sacrificing its high-temperature thermal stability. Herein, flexible SiC/TiC hybrid nanofibers with different Ti contents were fabricated by electrospinning and precursor infiltration pyrolysis. The introduction of Ti can not only generate conductive TiC phase, but also act as a catalyst to regulate the growth of SiC grains, so as to adjust the flexibility and electromagnetic properties of the hybrid nanofibers. At the optimal Ti precursor content of 4 wt%, the SiC/TiC-4 hybrid nanofibers exhibit a broad effective absorption bandwidth of 4.5 GHz with the thickness of 1.6 mm. The flexible SiC/TiC hybrid nanofibers This work can provide a reference for the design of flexible ceramic nanofiber absorbers and is expected to enable practical application in high temperature conditions.

Potential use of a bone tissue engineering scaffold based on electrospun poly (ɛ-caprolactone) - Poly (vinyl alcohol) hybrid nanofibers containing modified cockle shell nanopowder

Today, the construction of scaffolds promoting the differentiation of stem cells is an intelligent innovation that accelerates the differentiation toward the target tissue. The use of calcium and phosphate compounds is capable of elevating the precision and efficiency of the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. In this research, osteoconductive electrospun poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) - poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hybrid nanofibrous scaffolds containing modified cockle shell (CS) nanopowder were prepared and investigated. In this regard, the modified CS nanopowder was prepared by grinding and modifying with phosphoric acid, and it was then added to PVA nanofibers at different weight percentages. Based on the SEM images, the optimum content of the modified CS nanopowder was set at 7 wt %, since reaching the threshold of agglomeration restricted this incorporation. In the second step, the PVA-CS7 nanofibrous sample was hybridized with different PCL ratios. Concerning the hydrophilicity and mechanical strength, the sample named PCL50-PVA50-CS7 was ultimately selected as the optimized and suitable candidate scaffold for bone tissue application. The accelerated hydrolytic degradation of the sample was also studied by FTIR and SEM analyses, and the results confirmed that the mineral deposits of CS are available approximately 7 days for mesenchymal stem cells. Moreover, Alizarin red staining illustrated that the presence of CS in the PCL50-PVA50-CS7 hybrid nanofibrous scaffold may potentially lead to an increase in calcium deposits with high precipitates, authenticating the differentiation of stem cells towards osteogenic cells.

Highly fluorescent hybrid nanofibers as potential nanofibrous scaffolds for studying cell-fiber interactions

In this study, we report on the fabrication of hybrid nanofibers for labeling and bioimaging applications. Our approach is involved for developing highly fluorescent nanofibers using a blend of polylactic acid, polyethyleneglycol, and perylenediimide dyes, through the solution blow spinning technique. The nanofibers are exhibited diameters ranging from 330 nm to 420 nm. Nanofibers showed excellent red and near-infrared fluorescence emissive properties in fluorescent spectroscopy. Moreover, the strong two–photon absorption phenomenon was observed for nanofibers under confocal microscopy. To assess the applicability of these fluorescent nanofibers in bioimaging settings, we employ two types of mammalian cells B16F1 melanoma cells and J774.A1 macrophages. Both cell types exhibit negligible cytotoxicity after 24 h incubation with the nanofibers, indicating the suitability of nanofibers for cell–based experiments. We also observe strong interactions between the nanofibers and cells, as evidenced by two major events: a) the acquisition of an elongated cellular morphology with the major cellular axis parallel to the nanofibers and b) the accumulation of actin filaments along the points of contact of the cells with the fibers. Our findings demonstrate the suitability of these newly developed fluorescent nanofibers in cell–based applications for guiding cellular behavior. We expect that these fluorescent nanofibers have the potential to serve as scaffold materials for long–time tracking of cell–fiber interactions in fluorescence microscopy.

Injectable biomimetic hybrid nanofibers for targeting cartilage in early osteoarthritis treatment

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation and limited effective treatment options for regeneration. To address this clinical challenge, an innovative injectable biomimetic hybrid nanofiber, namely hyaluronic acid-graft-poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine)-chondrocyte affinity peptides (HA-PMPC-CAP), was designed and synthesized through a ultraviolet light (UV)-initiated reaction process for intervention of early osteoarthritis (OA). Comprehensive in vitro assessments and molecular docking experiments have confirmed its non-cytotoxicity, exceptional lubrication properties, favorable biocompatibility and high binding affinity to cartilage proteins. Utilizing an OA rat model, the therapeutic potential of HA-PMPC-CAP was explored through intra-articular injection, with a focus on its impact on cartilage regeneration. During an 8-week period, macroscopic, histological, immunohistochemical, and microscopic CT evaluations were conducted on the treated joints. The findings were remarkable: HA-PMPC-CAP established a durable lubricating layer on the surface of cartilage, significantly reduced cartilage deterioration, replenished glycosaminoglycan (GAG) levels, lowered the scores of Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI), and curtailed the development of osteophytes, which was superior to the untreated OA control groups. These results position HA-PMPC-CAP as an effective biomimetic therapy, offering a novel strategy for cartilage regeneration and lubrication in the early stages of OA, which has promising implications for future clinical applications.

Biomineralization of Polyelectrolyte-Functionalized Electrospun Fibers: Optimization and In Vitro Validation for Bone Applications.

In recent years, polyelectrolytes have been successfully used as an alternative to non-collagenous proteins to promote interfibrillar biomineralization, to reproduce the spatial intercalation of mineral phases among collagen fibrils, and to design bioinspired scaffolds for hard tissue regeneration. Herein, hybrid nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning, by using a mixture of Poly ɛ-caprolactone (PCL) and cationic cellulose derivatives, i.e., cellulose-bearing imidazolium tosylate (CIMD). The obtained fibers were self-assembled with Sodium Alginate (SA) by polyelectrolyte interactions with CIMD onto the fiber surface and, then, treated with simulated body fluid (SBF) to promote the precipitation of calcium phosphate (CaP) deposits. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of SA and CaP, while SEM equipped with EDX analysis mapped the calcium phosphate constituent elements, estimating an average Ca/P ratio of about 1.33-falling in the range of biological apatites. Moreover, in vitro studies have confirmed the good response of mesenchymal cells (hMSCs) on biomineralized samples, since day 3, with a significant improvement in the presence of SA, due to the interaction of SA with CaP deposits. More interestingly, after a decay of metabolic activity on day 7, a relevant increase in cell proliferation can be recognized, in agreement with the beginning of the differentiation phase, confirmed by ALP results. Antibacterial tests performed by using different bacteria populations confirmed that nanofibers with an SA-CIMD complex show an optimal inhibitory response against S. mutans, S. aureus, and E. coli, with no significant decay due to the effect of CaP, in comparison with non-biomineralized controls. All these data suggest a promising use of these biomineralized fibers as bioinspired membranes with efficient antimicrobial and osteoconductive cues suitable to support bone healing/regeneration.

Piezoelectric and Pyroelectric Properties of Organic MDABCO-NH4Cl3 Perovskite for Flexible Energy Harvesting

This study describes the synthesis and characterization of the lead-free organic ferroelectric perovskite N-methyl-N’-diazabicyclo [2.2.2]octonium)-ammonium trichloride (MDABCO-NH4Cl3). The electrospinning technique was employed to obtain nanofibers embedded with this perovskite in a PVC polymer for hybrid fiber production. The dielectric, piezoelectric, and pyroelectric properties of these fibers were carefully examined. Based on measurements of the dielectric permittivity temperature and frequency dependence, together with the pyroelectric results, a transition from a high temperature paraelectric to a ferroelectric phase that persisted at room temperature was found to occur at 438 K. The measured pyroelectric coefficient yielded values as high as 290 μC K−1 m−2, which is in between the values reported for MDABCO-NH4I3 and the semiorganic ferroelectric triglycine sulfate (TGS). The hybrid nanofibers exhibited good morphological characteristics and demonstrated very good piezoelectric properties. Specifically, a piezoelectric coefficient of 42 pC/N was obtained when applying a periodical force of 3 N and a piezoelectric voltage coefficient of geff = 0.65 V mN−1. The performance of these fibers is on par with that of materials discussed in the existing literature for the fabrication of nano energy-harvesting generators. Importantly, the perovskite nanocrystals within the fibers are protected from degradation by the surrounding polymer, making them a promising environmentally friendly platform for flexible mechanical energy harvesting.

Reversible and Photochromic Peony-Shaped Hairpin Prepared from Electrospun Hybrid Nanofibers for Visualized Solar UV Radiation Detector

Reversible and Photochromic Peony-Shaped Hairpin Prepared from Electrospun Hybrid Nanofibers for Visualized Solar UV Radiation Detector

Titanium Dioxide and N-Doped Carbon Hybrid Nanofiber Modulated Ru Nanoclusters for High-Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalyst.

The designing and fabricating highly active hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts that can superior to Pt/C is extremely desirable but challenging. Herein, the fabrication of Ru/TiO2/N-doped carbon (Ru/TiO2/NC) nanofiber is reported as a novel and highly active HER electrocatalyst through electrospinning and subsequent pyrolysis treatment, in which Ru nanoclusters are dispersed into TiO2/NC hybrid nanofiber. As a novel support, experimental and theoretical calculation results reveal that TiO2/NC can more effectively accelerate water dissociation as well as optimize the adsorption strength of *H than TiO2 and NC, thus leading to a significantly enhanced HER activity, which merely requires an overpotential of 18mV to reach 10mAcm-2, outperforming Pt/C in an alkaline solution. The electrolytic cell composed of Ru/TiO2/NC nanofiber and NiFe LDH/NF can generate 500 and 1000mAcm-2 at voltages of 1.631 and 1.753V, respectively. Furthermore, the electrolytic cell also exhibits remarkable durability for at least 100h at 200mAcm-2 with negligible degradation in activity. The present work affords a deep insight into the influence of support on the activity of electrocatalyst and the strategy proposed in this research can also be extended to fabricate various other types of electrocatalysts for diverse electrocatalytic applications.

Vanadium nitride-vanadium oxide-carbon nanofiber hybrids for high performance supercapacitors

Vanadium Nitride (VN) is attractive for energy storage due to its high conductivity (1.6 × 106 S/m) and specific capacitance (1350 F/g) but limited to alkaline electrolytes for redox. In contrast, V2O3 is redox active but not very conductive. In these hybrids a mixture of VN and vanadium oxide (V2O3) were encapsulated in electrospun carbon-nanofibers. A combination of VN and V2O3 takes advantage of the high conductivity from VN and the redox activity from V2O3. Additionally, having the vanadium encapsulated within the carbon can help with the stability as the electrolyte will not have direct interaction with the surface. These hybrids were made by in-situ nitridation of the encapsulated V2O5 followed by ex-situ activation with carbon dioxide. The hybrids were characterized by XPS and Raman spectroscopy. Hybrids of VN/V2O3-CNF showed increased capacitance of 245 Fg−1 with energy and power densities of 70.2 Wh kg−1 and 1751 W kg−1 in ionic liquid electrolyte. The devices showed good cycle stability with ∼90 % retention after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 1 Ag−1. These findings highlight the potential of VN/V2O3-CNF hybrids as high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. The combination of high conductivity and redox activity, along with encapsulation within CNFs, opens promising avenues for advanced energy storage.

Rational Design of a Necklace-like ZIF-67/Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Electrospun Nanofiber Hybrid Membrane for Simultaneous Removal of PM0.3 and SO2.

Growing concerns over poor air quality, especially in urban and industrial regions, have led to increased global demands for advanced air-purification technologies. However, the stability and airborne pollutant control abilities of the available air-purification materials under diverse environmental conditions are limited. Thus, the advanced development of filtration materials that can effectively control different types of pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants, simultaneously has attracted attention. The zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), a type of porous metal-organic framework (MOF), is a promising material for capturing weakly acidic toxic gases such as SO2 owing to its excellent adsorption performance and high thermal and chemical stability. In this study, we successfully developed an ultrastable necklace-like multifunctional hybrid membrane via the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-assisted in situ growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-67 crystals on electrospun Co2+-doped poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers (70 nm) that can be used in different moisture environments to achieve sustainable air-filtration performance. The hybrid nanocomposite membrane demonstrated excellent performance for the simultaneous control of intractable fine PM0.3 (filtration efficiency, 99.461%) and SO2 (adsorption capacity, 1476.5 mg g-1) under different humidity conditions. This study contributes to the optimal synergistic integration of the advanced metal-organic framework (MOF)-nanofiber nanocomposite membranes and can guide the rational design and conceptualization of a facile and novel membrane for various applications in the environmental science and energy fields.

TiO2/Multi-walled carbon nanotube electrospun nanofibers mats for enhanced Cr(VI) photoreduction

Industrial processes, including metal plating and paint production, generate substantial wastewater with hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), necessitating the development of efficient photocatalysts for its reduction. In this study, we fabricated curly hybrid nanofiber composites (TiO2/Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)) with varying MWCNT contents (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 w/w) via electrospinning and subsequent calcination process for Cr(VI) photoreduction efficiency. Our experimental results indicated an initial rise in specific surface areas and micropore volumes with increasing the MWCNT content up to TiO2/MWCNT-7, followed by a decrease, attributed to the development of a curly structure with the introduction of MWCNTs. This improved TiO2 dispersion, reduced the band gap, and densified the composites, enhancing mass transfer properties and visible light utilization. As a result, TiO2/MWCNT-7 exhibited a significant redshift in wavelength along with a 2.93 eV band gap, resulting in 97.5% Cr(VI) photoreduction efficiency within 120 min and sustained 92% efficiency over 6 cycles. This study offers insights for catalyst design and optimization in Cr(VI) photoreduction for water treatment applications.

Sulfated hyaluronic acid/collagen-based biomimetic hybrid nanofiber skin for diabetic wound healing: Development and preliminary evaluation

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are one of the most serious and devastating complication of diabetes, manifesting as foot ulcers and impaired wound healing in patients with diabetes mellitus. To solve this problem, sulfated hyaluronic acid (SHA)/collagen-based nanofibrous biomimetic skins was developed and used to promote the diabetic wound healing and skin remodeling. First, SHA was successfully synthetized using chemical sulfation and incorporated into collagen (COL) matrix for preparing the SHA/COL hybrid nanofiber skins. The polyurethane (PU) was added into those hybrid scaffolds to make up the insufficient mechanical properties of SHA/COL nanofibers, the morphology, surface properties and degradation rate of hybrid nanofibers, as well as cell responses upon the nanofibrous scaffolds were studied to evaluate their potential for skin reconstruction. The results demonstrated that the SHA/COL, SHA/HA/COL hybrid nanofiber skins were stimulatory of cell behaviors, including a high proliferation rate and maintaining normal phenotypes of specific cells. Notably, SHA/COL and SHA/HA/COL hybrid nanofibers exhibited a significantly accelerated wound healing and a high skin remodeling effect in diabetic mice compared with the control group. Overall, SHA/COL-based hybrid scaffolds are promising candidates as biomimetic hybrid nanofiber skin for accelerating diabetic wound healing.

A New Lotus-Leaf-Inspired Beaded Nanofiber Strategy for the Development of Cryogel/Nanofiber Hybrid Structures

In this study, a cryogel/nanofiber hybrid material was developed using a new lotus-leaf-inspired strategy. The lotus effect was generated via beaded poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers produced from the 9 wt% PCL solution with low viscosity and high surface tension via electrospinning. A poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) cryogel layer was constructed through polymerization onto the beaded PCL nanofibrous mat. The thickness of the PHEMA cryogel/beaded PCL nanofiber hybrid material was 3.19 ± 0.07 mm. Morphological characterization studies of the hybrid material were conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mean diameter of the beaded PCL nanofibers was 97.22 ± 21.18 nm. The lotus effect created by the beaded PCL nanofibers was investigated by water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The WCA of beadless and beaded PCL nanofibers was 93.42° ± 1.4° and 117.97° ± 5.04°, respectively. The PHEMA cryogel layer was chemically characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and the specific groups belonging to 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was observed. The porosity of the PHEMA cryogel layer was determined via mercury porosimetry. The total porosity of the PHEMA cryogel was 64.42%, and the pore sizes were in the range of 5–200 µm. Swelling kinetics of the PHEMA cryogel/beaded PCL nanofiber hybrid material were also investigated and compared to those of PHEMA cryogel and beaded PCL nanofibers. The maximum swelling ratio of the hybrid material was 509.69% and reached after 180 min. The developed PHEMA cryogel/beaded PCL nanofiber hybrid material met the criteria required for layered structures and biomedical applications whereby its eligible stability, morphology, porosity, and swelling capacity. Consequently, the lotus-leaf-inspired strategy was successful in constructing the cryogel/nanofiber hybrid materials.

PVDF-based nanofiber membrane decorated with Z-scheme TiO2/MIL-100(Fe) heterojunction for efficient oil/water emulsion separation and dye photocatalytic degradation

Membrane separation is one of the most widely used methods for water purification, but membrane fouling is a stumbling block that must be overcome for its further promotion and application. In this work, a self-cleaning PVDF-based hybrid nanofiber membrane with core-sheath structure were constructed via electrospinning and in-situ synthesis, using polyvinylidene fluoride/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVDF-PVP) electrospun nanofibers as skeleton cores and in-situ synthesis of Z-scheme TiO2/MIL-100(Fe) heterojunctions as photocatalytic sheaths. The hybrid membrane exhibited excellent superhydrophilicity (water contact angle of 0°) and underwater superoleophobicity (underwater oil contact angle of 161.4°) with high permeate fluxes and superior separation efficiencies (more than 99.5%) for various oil/water emulsions. Furthermore, the Z-scheme TiO2/MIL-100(Fe) heterojunctions anchored on the nanofibers possessed robust photocatalytic activity with the removal efficiency of dyes up to 99.9% under simulated sunlight. More importantly, the membrane has excellent recyclability due to its outstanding anti-fouling and self-cleaning properties. Therefore, the hybrid membrane has attractive potential application in wastewater purification.

Robust photoelectrocatalytic degradation of antibiotics by organic-inorganic PDISA/Bi2WO6 S-scheme heterojunction membrane

Ensuring the stability of the photoelectrode is paramount for optimal photoelectrocatalysis performance. In this investigation, a hybrid nanofiber film, incorporating the π-π conjugated self-assembly of perylene diimide monomers (PDISA) with Bi2WO6 (PDISA/Bi2WO6), was fabricated through the electrospinning process. Subsequently, this flexible electrospun film was pressed onto a Ni mesh to create a robust PDISA/Bi2WO6 electrode membrane. Results from photoelectrocatalytic studies reveal that the devised PDISA/Bi2WO6 photoanode significantly enhances the photoelectrocatalytic degradation efficiency of tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP). Specifically, the apparent rate constants for the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of TC by 30%PDISA/Bi2WO6, compared to pristine PDISA and Bi2WO6, are elevated by 1.9 and 2.0 times, respectively. Moreover, the reaction rates of the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) process surpass those of photocatalysis (PC) and electrocatalysis (EC) by 1.9 times and 8.0 times, respectively. Impressively, even after five cycles of PEC degradation of TC, the photoelectrode maintains 98.4% of its initial degradation rate, indicating its exceptional stability. These improvements in degradation efficiency and stability are attributed to the creation of the PDISA/Bi2WO6 S-scheme heterojunction membrane photoanode and the synergistic effects of photoelectrocatalysis.

Changes in Concentrations of Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Human Milk Over Lactation Time and Effects of Maternal Exposure via Analysis of Matched Samples.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially related to many adverse health outcomes and could be transferred from maternal blood to human milk, which is an important exposure source for infants during a long-term period. In this study, the maternal blood of 76 women after delivery and their matched human milk samples obtained at 0.5, 1, and 3 months were analyzed by solid-phase extraction method with metal-organic framework/polymer hybrid nanofibers as the sorbents and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometric for quantitative analysis of 31 PFAS. The perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonate, and N-methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-MeFOSAA) contributed to more than approximately 50% of the total PFAS concentrations in blood and human milk, while N-MeFOSAA (median: 0.274 ng/mL) was the highest PFAS in human milk at 3 months. The transfer efficiencies for PFAS from maternal blood to human milk at 0.5 months were generally lower, with medians ranging from 0.20% to 16.9%. The number of PFAS species detected in human milk increased as the lactation time went on from 0.5 to 3 months, and the concentrations of 10 PFAS displayed an increasing trend as the prolongation of lactation time (p < 0.05).

In Vitro Modulation of Spontaneous Activity in Embryonic Cardiomyocytes Cultured on Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Bioglass Type 58S Electrospun Scaffolds.

Because of the physiological and cardiac changes associated with cardiovascular disease, tissue engineering can potentially restore the biological functions of cardiac tissue through the fabrication of scaffolds. In the present study, hybrid nanofiber scaffolds of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and bioglass type 58S (58SiO2-33CaO-9P2O5, Bg) were fabricated, and their effect on the spontaneous activity of chick embryonic cardiomyocytes in vitro was determined. PVA/Bg nanofibers were produced by electrospinning and stabilized by chemical crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. The electrospun scaffolds were analyzed to determine their chemical structure, morphology, and thermal transitions. The crosslinked scaffolds were more stable to degradation in water. A Bg concentration of 25% in the hybrid scaffolds improved thermal stability and decreased degradation in water after PVA crosslinking. Cardiomyocytes showed increased adhesion and contractility in cells seeded on hybrid scaffolds with higher Bg concentrations. In addition, the effect of Ca2+ ions released from the bioglass on the contraction patterns of cultured cardiomyocytes was investigated. The results suggest that the scaffolds with 25% Bg led to a uniform beating frequency that resulted in synchronous contraction patterns.

Accelerating Wound Healing with Combinatorial Therapy Using Natural Melanin Nanoparticle‐Polyvinyl Alcohol Blend and Core‐Sheath Hybrid Nanofibers under UV‐A Irradiation

AbstractWound healing can be a complex and slow process for the human body, particularly if it is chronic. Photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be used to accelerate wound healing. As opposed to current PDT studies using well‐known photosensitizers, this work use novel polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) containing hybrid nanofibers prepared by electrospinning techniques to enhance wound healing with/without UV light. Blend and core‐sheath nozzles are utilized to obtain sustainable and biocompatible MNP‐PVA blend, and core‐sheath hybrid nanofibers and 30, 60, and 300 s of UV‐A irradiation are tested in terms of photoinactivation efficiencies for Escherichia coli (E. coli). The MNP‐PVA blend with a diameter of 324 nm and the core‐sheath nanofibers with a diameter of 468 nm both showed killing effect on E. coli about 41.6% and 32%, respectively, under 30 s of UV‐A irradiation. Increased irradiation time activates the protective effect of MNPs located in nanofibers, thereby decreasing photoinactivation efficiency. Moreover, the MNP‐PVA core‐sheath nanofibers with 30 s of UV‐A irradiation promote the closure of wound to 99.2% at 24 h.

Novel PVA-Hyaluronan-Siloxane Hybrid Nanofiber Mats for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Hyaluronan (HA) is a natural biodegradable biopolymer; its biological functions include cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and differentiation as well as decreasing inflammation, angiogenesis, and regeneration of damaged tissue. This makes it a suitable candidate for fabricating nanomaterials with potential use in tissue engineering. However, HA nanofiber production is restricted due to the high viscosity, low evaporation rate, and high surface tension of HA solutions. Here, hybrids in the form of continuous and randomly aligned polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-(HA)-siloxane nanofibers were obtained using an electrospinning process. PVA-HA fibers were crosslinked by a 3D siloxane organic-inorganic matrix via sol-gel that restricts natural hydrophilicity and stiffens the structure. The hybrid nanofiber mats were characterized by FT-IR, micro-Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and biological properties. The PVA/HA ratio influenced the morphology of the hybrid nanofibers. Nanofibers with high PVA content (10PVA-8 and 10PVA-10) form mats with few beaded nanofibers, while those with high HA content (5PVA-8 and 5PVA-10) exhibit mats with mound patterns formed by "ribbon-like" nanofibers. The hybrid nanofibers were used as mats to support osteoblast growth, and they showed outstanding biological properties supporting cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and cell differentiation. Importantly, the 5PVA-8 mats show 3D spherical osteoblast morphology; this suggests the formation of tissue growth. These novel HA-based nanomaterials represent a relevant advance in designing nanofibers with unique properties for potential tissue regeneration.

Novel Perovskite Oxide Hybrid Nanofibers Embedded with Nanocatalysts for Highly Efficient and Durable Electrodes in Direct CO2 Electrolysis

HighlightsThe novel hybrid structured nanofiber electrode, incorporating crushed nanofibers into the nanofiber network, is designed to effectively resolve the issue of insufficient interfacial bonding of porous nanofiber electrodes on solid electrolyte interfaces.The hybrid nanofibers are covered with in situ exsolved metal nanocatalysts to enhance CO2 reduction reaction rate.Electrochemical and microstructure 3D reconstruction analyses confirmed the hybrid structure’s efficiency in improving the contact area at the porous-solid interface, leading to an increase in reaction sites.