Composite Nanofibrous Membranes Research Articles

Superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic polylactide/cellulose diacetate composite nanofibrous membranes for effective oil-in-water emulsions separation

Superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic polylactide/cellulose diacetate composite nanofibrous membranes for effective oil-in-water emulsions separation

Hairy quaternary ammonium-functionalized metal organic framework integrated in polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membrane for efficient removal of arsenate

In this work, the metal–organic framework (MOF) particles (i.e., UiO-66-NH2) was covalently modified with poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) method. The hair MOF product, referred to as UiO-66-g-P4VP, was then subjected to quaternization with 1-bromoethane, resulting in UiO-66-g-qP4VP (quaternized P4VP is denoted as qP4VP). Finally, these UiO-66-g-qP4VP particles were incorporated into a polymer matrix made of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) to develop a nanofibrous composite membrane using the electrospinning technique. After modification of quaternized P4VP, the surface of the MOFs carry strong positive charges. Therefore, the electrospun UiO-66-g-qP4VP/PAN nanofiber membrane can serve as an adsorbent in efficient removal of negatively charged arsenate through strong electrostatic interactions. The adsorptive efficacy of the nanofiber membrane exhibited considerable stability within the pH spectrum extending from 4 to 10, indicating that the membrane could potentially maintain its functionality across a broad range of pH conditions. Our developed approach opens up an avenue for manufacturing of polyelectrolyte-functionalized MOF nanofiber membranes, which hold great promise for application in water remediation.

A BaTiO3@polyacrylonitrile/poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibrous composite membrane with high piezoelectricity based on the central combination design method and cross-electrospinning technology

The rapid development of piezoelectric sensors has been studied extensively, owing to their good flexibility, wearability, high sensitivity and low cost. However, some inorganic materials with good piezoelectricity cannot make sensors flexible, and the organic materials with good flexibility have a weak output electrical signal and low strength. In order to explore and optimize the preparation technology of piezoelectric sensors, a BaTiO3@polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibrous composite membrane (NCM) was prepared by cross-electrospinning technology and the central combination design (CCD) method. The morphology, structure, hydrophobicity, mechanical properties and piezoelectricity of the BaTiO3@PAN/PVDF NCMs were investigated. The BaTiO3@PAN/PVDF NCMs had the better hydrophobicity and mechanical properties compared with the pure PAN/PVDF NCM. The 5BaTiO3@PAN/PVDF NCM designed by CCD had a more uniform fiber diameter, and a more stable output voltage with a 46% improvement. With the help of cross-electrospinning technology and the CCD method, the NCM will be outstanding for the development of fabricating flexible wearable piezoelectric sensors.

Lactosporin loaded electrospun nanofibrous membrane: Novel antibacterial and wound dressing patch

IntroductionAny disruption in the cohesion of skin tissue is called a skin ulcer. If the skin lesion is a superficial lesion, it heals easily. But some wounds, such as diabetic wounds, bedsores, and burns, are difficult to heal and are often associated with infection. Therefore, one of the new methods used to treat such wounds is skin patch. MethodIn this study, partly purified lactosporin (LP), as novel postbiotic, was extracted from Bacillus coagulans, and its antibacterial properties against six bacterial species, namely Escherichia coli, Micrococcus Luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, and Klebsiella pneumonia were investigated. An electrospun nanofibrous membrane (NFM) containing LP was electrospun based on the three polymers including hyaluronic acid (HA), chitosan, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and its potential for biomedical applications was analized. The morphological characteristics, hydrophilic properties, cytotoxicity, and wound healing potential of LP-loaded NFMs were investigated. ResultsIt was revealed that extracted LP includes supperior antibacterial properties, which is beneficial for developing wound dressing patches. The results showed fabricated composite NFMs are bead-free and uniform. The average diameter of uncross-linked and cross-linked nanofibers are 281 ± 10 nm and 359 ± 51 nm, respectively. These NFMs are hydrophilic in both cross-linked and uncross-linked forms and the contact angles of them were 39 and 13°, respectively. These NFMs were also tested for cytotoxicity by the MTT assay and were found to be non-toxic. ConclusionThese results indicate that HA/CS/PVA/LP NFM could act as an efficient antibacterial and multifunctional wound dressing patch.

Novel activated biochar-enhanced superhydrophilic nanofibrous membrane for superior oil-in-water emulsion separation

In this research, a high-performance Polyamide 6/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Activated biochar (PA6/PVA/AB) composite nanofibrous membrane was developed for effective separation of oil-in-water emulsions. The membrane was produced by blend electrospinning of Polyamide 6 (PA6), Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), and Activated biochar (AB) derived from peanut shell biomass. Glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linking was applied to enhance stability in aqueous environments to prevent PVA swelling. The resulting nanofibrous membrane exhibited a cost-effective design with a superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic surface (WCA of 0° and UWOCA of 164°), a porous structure (93% porosity), and robust mechanical properties (Tensile strength: 7.73 MPa, Young modulus: 45 MPa). Optimization of the membrane composition, with 5%wt. PVA and 2%wt. AB relative to the total polymer weight in the electrospinning solution, yielded a superhydrophilic membrane capable of withstanding 2 bar pressure. Pure water flux measurements in the pressure range of 0.5–2 bar demonstrated a high permeability of 1727.5 LMH/bar and a pure water flux of 3455 LMH. The PA6/PVA/AB composite membrane exhibited exceptional performance in separating non-surfactant (NS) and surfactant-stabilized (SS) toluene-in-water emulsions (separation flux: 2006 LMH, oil rejection: 99.52%). Furthermore, it demonstrated high efficiency in the separation of SS oil-in-water emulsions of different types of oil (separation flux >1800 LMH, oil rejection >98%). The membrane's durability and chemical stability were confirmed through 15 cycles of oil-in-water emulsion separation, showcasing anti-fouling properties and reusability (separation flux >833, Oil rejection >97%). Considering its superior performance in oil-in-water emulsion separation and robust reusability, the developed nanofibrous membrane holds significant promise for practical applications.

Wound Dressing Based on Silver Nanoparticle Embedded Wool Keratin Electrospun Nanofibers Deposited on Cotton Fabric: Preparation, Characterization, Antimicrobial Activity, and Cytocompatibility.

Wool keratin (WK) protein is attractive for wound dressing and biomedical applications due to its excellent biodegradability, cytocompatibility, and wound-healing properties. In this work, WK-based wound dressings were prepared by depositing WK/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and silver nanoparticle (Ag NP)-embedded WK/PVA composite nanofibrous membranes on cotton fabrics by electrospinning. Ag NPs were biosynthesized by reduction and stabilization with sodium alginate. The formed Ag NPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and their size was determined by transmission electron microscopy and image analysis. The formed Ag NPs were spherical and had an average diameter of 9.95 nm. The produced Ag NP-embedded WK/PVA composite nanofiber-deposited cotton fabric surface was characterized by FTIR and dynamic contact angle measurements, and the nanofiber morphologies were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The average diameter of the nanofibers formed by 0.1% Ag NP-embedded WK/PVA solution was 146.7 nm. The antibacterial activity of the surface of cotton fabrics coated with electrospun composite nanofibers was evaluated against the two most common wound-causing pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The cotton fabric coated with 0.1% Ag NP-embedded WK/PVA nanofibers showed very good antibacterial activity against both pathogens, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay results showed good cytocompatibility against L-929 mouse fibroblast cells. However, the increase in Ag NP content in the nanofibers to 0.2% negatively affected the cell viability due to the high release rate of Ag ions. The results achieved show that the developed wound dressing has good potential for wound healing applications.

Fabrication of multifunctional composite nanofibrous membranes for antibacterial, waterproof, and broad-range microwave absorption properties

The scientific community has shown great interest in high-performance multifunctional nanomembranes due to their increasing demand. Nevertheless, the development of multifunctional composite nanofibrous membranes faces a limitation in achieving consistent and optimal performance with balancing conflicting requirements across multiple functionalities. However, addressing this challenge, a single composite nanofibers membrane has been successfully fabricated, demonstrating effective antibacterial activity, waterproofing properties, and excellent electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption. The multifunction composite nanofibers (CNFs0.6-Co@Fe3) exhibited remarkable microwave absorption performance, with a reflection loss (RL) of 29.10 dB at 15–20 GHz and a thickness of 1.5 mm. Additionally, the nanocomposite displayed flexibility, hydrophobicity with a water contact angle larger than 95° and low surface energy, and significant antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli). These multifunctional nanocomposites offer a unique combination of outstanding EM wave absorption, cost-effective fabrication, environmental friendliness, and lightweight characteristics, holding great promise for future applications in nanocomposite products.

Superhydrophobic nanofibrous polytetrafluoroethylene and composite membranes with tunable adhesion for micro-droplet manipulation, self-cleaning and oil/water separation

Membrane technology has been proven to be highly valuable in extensive applications, such as separation and purification, surface engineering, packaging, and electronics. Controllable surface wetting behavior is pivotal in determining the practical applications of membranes in various scenarios. In this study, a superhydrophobic nanofibrous membrane with diverse adhesion was prepared by a novel in-situ fibrillation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The fibrous structures can be facilely manipulated by the processing temperatures, and a hierarchical structure of micro-/nano-scale PTFE fibrils simultaneously achieves superhydrophobicity with high adhesion. In contrast, a superhydrophobic surface with extremely low adhesion was fabricated by in-situ introducing SiO2 microspheres into membrane. Therefore, the distinct adhesion of the membranes enables multifunctional applications that require different liquid wettability, such as the manipulation of tiny droplets, self-cleaning, and anti-icing properties. Furtherly, the nanofibrous membranes demonstrated outstanding oil/water separation performance with great efficiency over 99.5% and flux as high as 5303 L·m−2·h−1. The fabricated nanofibrous PTFE membrane, exhibiting either a “petal effect” or “lotus effect”, along with their flexible fabrication methodology, offer a promising approach to meet the demand for chemical, environment, and biomedicine area.

An electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study on ion-fouling of forward osmosis membranes

Forward osmosis (FO) has been rapidly developed and employed in the industrial and environmental wastewater treatment, whose performance is affected profoundly by membrane fouling. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), as a nondestructive and low-cost evaluation technique, has been increasingly used for the characterization of membrane structures and membrane fouling. However, monitoring ion fouling of FO membranes is difficult with EIS due to the weak signal. In this work, the ion-fouling of various FO membranes was successfully characterized by EIS and the inductance variation was firstly utilized to interpret the degree of FO membrane fouling. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and polydopamine (PDA) were modified onto the thin film nanofibrous composite membrane (#FO-0) as anti-fouling modification (#FO-MWCNTs and #FO-PDA), respectively. The structural measurements of #FO-0, #FO-MWCNTs, and #FO-PDA were achieved by a two-electrode EIS system. Then the ion fouling of FO membranes was monitored by a four-electrode EIS system. Through the equivalent circuit fitting, the correlation between the inductance variation and the membrane fouling was established. The FO experiments further validated the effectiveness of the proposed EIS method. The results indicate that inductance as a detection index is expected to be a convenient tool for studying the ion-fouling phenomenon in the FO process.

Biocarbon-Enhanced Flexible Nanofiber Mats for Sustainable Energy Generation and Wearable Device Applications

A broad diversity of nanofillers and polymers have been used to prepare polymer nanocomposites having potential applications in transportation, sports materials, aerospace, electronics, communication, energy, environment, and biomedical. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) finds a remarkable place in energy applications attributed to its highest known piezo- and pyroelectric properties. Like most carbon materials, Biochar has excellent electrical conductivity, since it comprises graphene layers with a great amount of carbon content. This study explores the behavior of composite nanofibers fabricated from rice straw-derived biochar-PVDF as wearable mats to harvest body energy into electricity. The composite nanofiber mats were fabricated using the electrospinning technique to get the benefit of both the piezoelectric properties of PVDF and the excellent electric properties of Biochar. The research found that incorporating 12 wt % of Biochar greatly enhances the piezoelectric content of the nanofiber mats without noteworthy loss in flexibility. In addition, the effects of membrane thickness (0.5, 0.9, and 1 mm) on their output voltages as a performance factor of the nanogenerator were measured. Results indicated that the effect of thickness was most influential in the thickness of 1 mm of PVDF/biochar nanofibers generator. The results of this work imply promising application development of such flexible composite piezoelectric nanofibrous membranes for environmentally sustainable energy generation and wearable self-powered electrical devices.

Antifouling amidoximated polyacrylonitrile-regenerated cellulose acetate composite nanofibrous membranes for oil/water separation: Membrane fabrication, performance and fouling mechanism

Industrial production and human activities have resulted in significant oil pollution issues. The utilization of electrospinning nanofibrous membranes for the separation of oil-water mixtures and emulsions has been widely adopted. However, these membranes face challenges due to their low flux and membrane fouling. In this study, we conducted a chemical modification on a novel cross-electrospinning material, amidoximated polyacrylonitrile-regenerated cellulose acetate (AOPAN-RC), through deacetylation and ammoximation conversions. This modification led to the development of a superhydrophilic and antifouling composite membrane with excellent properties. The modified composite nanofibrous membranes exhibited remarkable hydrophilicity and strong underwater superoleophobicity, indicated by an underwater oil contact angle of 157.5° ± 1.24°, as well as a high water flux value exceeding 6000 LMH. The AOPAN-RC membranes demonstrated exceptional performance in separating highly emulsified surfactant-free and surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions, achieving separation efficiencies of over 94 ± 0.8 % and 90 ± 1.1 %, respectively. Furthermore, we discovered that higher water flux and improved emulsion separation efficiency can be achieved under low pH and ionic strength conditions with minimal addition of surfactants. Moreover, due to its superior antifouling property, the membrane enables long-term separation of high-viscosity oil-in-water emulsions and actual oily wastewater under various solution conditions. Notably, the flux of the AOPAN-RC membrane did not decrease significantly, making it significantly better than the PAN-CA and PAN-RC membranes. Additionally, the separation efficiency of the AOPAN-RC membrane also surpassed that of the other two. While the presence of surfactant-surrounded oil droplets may cause irreversible fouling over time, this innovative nanofibrous membrane exhibits great potential for practical applications in the treatment of a wider range of oil-contaminated wastewater sources.

Layered ZrO2/SiO2 aerogel composite fibrous flexibility membrane for thermal insulation and sound absorption

AbstractAs promising candidates for widespread application, advanced ceramic fiber mats with robust mechanical properties are urgently needed. However, the brittleness, fatigue failure, and large density of ceramic fiber pose significant obstacles to its practical application. Herein, a novel SiO2 aerogel/ZrO2 composite nanofibrous membrane (SZCNFM) with excellent flexibility was prepared by introducing SiO2 aerogel nanoparticles into ZrO2 nanofiber via simple co‐electrospinning. The developed tetragonal zirconia phase without changing up to 1200°C endows SZCNFM material with excellent thermal stability. Furthermore, the as‐prepared membranes exhibit fatigue resistance ability which can maintain 98% of the original stress after 100 buckling cycle tests. The addition of mesoporous structure aerogel reduces the heat transfer of the nanofibrous membrane, giving its low thermal conductivity (30 mW/m/K) and low‐frequency sound absorption (noise reduction coefficient of 0.52). Combined with the high‐temperature resistance, low thermal conductivity and excellent sound‐absorption ability make it a promising material for heat insulation and acoustic absorption.

A synergistically enhanced photocatalytic 2D MXene nanofibrous composite membrane for wastewater treatment

Despite notable advancements in membrane technology, the efficacious separation of intricate oily wastewater via membrane filtration continues to pose formidable barriers for the industry. Recent methods, encompassing the integration of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets to improve membrane properties, have demonstrated a propensity for encountering challenges like swelling, fouling, and operational instability during the filtration process. Herein, we meticulously designed a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibrous membrane (NFM) tailored with a 2D nanostructured composite of MXene nanosheets and TiO2 nanofrost for the pioneering treatment of intricate oily wastewater. The resultant membrane exhibited remarkable separation performance concerning surfactant-stabilized emulsions while maintaining excellent water permeability. Additionally, the membrane demonstrated outstanding antifouling and self-cleaning capabilities while also showing high efficiency in removing metal cations from oily wastewater, which may be related to the intercalation of TiO2 nanofrost. Furthermore, in response to the synergistic impact of MXene nanosheets and TiO2 nanofrost, the TiO2@MX-PVDF NFM presented exceptional photocatalytic degradation ability for the breakdown of organic pollutants under visible irradiation. Consequently, present work unveils an advanced, reliable and remarkably efficient approach for developing a 2D multifunctional MXene composite membrane designed specifically for treating complex oily wastewater.

Electrospinning synthesis of nanofiber membrane with biodegradable as sustained-release formulation of fenofibrate

Fenofibrate is widely used as a lipid-lowering drug. However, fenofibrate has a short half-life, so it needs to be prepared as a sustained-release preparation to prolong the administration time. In this study, fenofibrate nanofibers are prepared by electrospinning using the biodegradable material polylactic acid as a drug carrier. To improve the hydrophilicity and cumulative drug release rate, polyvinylpyrrolidone is introduced to prepare a composite drug-loaded nanofibrous membrane. The experimental results show that the hydrophilicity and cumulative release rate are improved. This study provides a simple and efficient method for the preparation of fenofibrate nanofibrous membranes with sustained-release effects.

Automatic in situ short-distance deposition of PLGA/PLLA composite nanofibrous membranes for personalized wound dressings.

Improving the mechanical properties of wound dressings and achieving personalized automatic real-time in situ deposition are important for accelerating wound management and repair. In this study, we report a self-designed automatic in situ deposition device based on solution blow spinning (SBS) to prepare poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) composite (PLGA/PLLA) nanofibrous membranes for wound dressing at a short distance. Polymer solution and in situ deposition conditions, including air pressure, spinning distance, solvent extrusion rate, and spinning rate, were optimized using orthogonal experiments and characterized via dynamic mechanical analysis. The microscopic morphology and physical properties of the prepared PLGA/PLLA composite nanofibrous membranes show that their strength, adhesion, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), water retention, water absorption, degradation, and other properties were sufficient for wound-dressing applications. To investigate the possibility of a biomedical wound-dressing material, tannic acid (TA) was incorporated into the PLGA/PLLA composite nanofibrous membranes. The resultant PLGA/PLLA/TA composite nanofibrous membranes exhibited good biocompatibility and exceptional antibacterial properties against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. A pilot animal study illustrated the potential of this in situ deposition of PLGA/PLLA/TA composite nanofibrous membranes across multiple applications in wound healing/repair by reducing wound scar tissue formation and fibroblast overactivation.

Development of essential oil-containing antimicrobial and deodorizing nanofibrous membranes for sanitary napkin applications

In this study, antimicrobial and deodorizing nanofibrous composite membranes based on natural substances were developed for use in feminine sanitary napkins. Plant-derived natural essential oils, such as lemongrass oil and May Chang oil, were incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers using emulsion electrospinning. The fiber morphology, oil distribution, and pore size distribution of the nanofibrous composite membranes were examined. The antimicrobial and deodorizing effects, tensile properties, and release behavior of the functional ingredients from the composite membranes were investigated to examine their use in sanitary napkins. Core–sheath nanofibers, in which lemongrass oil or May Chang oil was uniformly distributed within the fiber core, were fabricated using various oil contents. The essential oil-loaded nanofibrous composite membranes contained pores ranging from 0.130 to 1.349 µm in size. The release profiles of the essential oils from the composite membranes over an 8 h period demonstrated a continuous release of citral and limonene. Composite membranes containing either lemongrass oil or May Chang oil exhibited outstanding antimicrobial effects against vaginal pathogens, such as Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, despite their low oil content. Deodorizing effects against ammonia gas were observed at oil contents higher than that required to achieve antimicrobial effects. The composite membranes exhibited lower Young’s modulus and greater elongation at break values under wet conditions compared to dry conditions. Our findings demonstrate that antimicrobial and deodorizing nanofibrous composite membranes based on plant-derived essential oils have the potential for use in feminine hygiene products.

Composite nanofibrous membranes with two-dimensional ZIF-L and PVDF-HFP for CO2 separation

Membrane gas-solvent contactors show effective CO2 capture as compared to solvent absorption. However, the overall efficiency of the capture process is compromised by the relatively low CO2 transfer rate of existing commercial membranes. Herein, we propose the integration of a two-dimensional zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-L) with outstanding CO2 adsorption properties into porous poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofibre membranes for energy-efficient CO2 separation through membrane gas absorption. Well-defined composite structures of the nanofibre membranes with ZIF-L are fabricated using the electrospinning technique. The favourable adsorption of CO2 molecules in the unique cushion-shaped cavities of ZIF-L enhances CO2 flux during both absorption and stripping processes even under mild temperature conditions when utilised in the composite nanofibre membranes. Consequently, the PVDF-HFP membrane with 5 wt% ZIF-L presents 26.7 mmol m−2 s−1 of CO2 stripping flux at 100 °C.

A novel electrospun nanofiber system with PEGylated paclitaxel nanocrystals enhancing the transmucus permeability and in situ retention for an efficient cervicovaginal cancer therapy

Overcoming the vaginal barrier to achieve sufficient drug penetration and retention is a huge obstacle for drug delivery in chemotherapeutics for cervical cancer. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of a novel composite nanocrystal/nanofiber system for improving the transmucus penetration and, thus, enhancing retention and drug delivery to the lesion of a cervicovaginal tumor. Herein, paclitaxel (PTX) was sequentially formulated in the form of nanocrystals, coated with polydopamine (PDA), and modified with PEG. The nanocrystals (NCs@PDA–PEG) were creatively fabricated to create a composite nanofibrous membrane (NCs@PDA-PEG NFs) by using an electrospinning technique. The morphology, size distribution, drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, in vitro release, in vivo vaginal retention, apoptosis index, anti-tumor efficacy in a murine cervicovaginal tumor model, and local irritation were characterized. The NCs@PDA-PEG were formulated in a cube-like shape with an average size of 385.6 ± 35.47 nm; they were dispersed in electrospun nanofibers, and the drug loading was 7.94 %. The XRD curves indicated that the phase state of PTX changed after the creation of the nanocrystals. The FTIR spectra showed that the drug and the excipients were compatible with each other. In vitro delivery showed that the dissolution of PTX in the electrospun nanofibers was significantly faster than that when using bulk PTX. Compared with the PTX NC NFs, the NC@PDA-PEG NFs exhibited prolonged vaginal residence, superior transmucus penetration, minimal mucosal irritation, and significant tumor inhibition efficacy after the intravaginal administration of the NFs in tumor-bearing mice. In conclusion, by acting as novel pharmaceutical repositories, NCs@PDA-PEG NFs can be promising candidates for non-invasive local treatment, leading to efficient tumor inhibition in cervicovaginal cancer.

A bioinspired vine-like hierarchically structured PET/CA composite nanofibrous membrane with superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surface for high-efficiency cooking fumes capture

Indoor air pollution, especially from cooking oil fumes (COFs), has become a serious issue that affects human health. Obtaining filters that can offer high efficiency, high air permeability and good reusability and stability for COFs removal remains a challenge. Herein, a bioinspired vine-like polyethylene terephthalate/cellulose acetate (PET/CA) composite nanofibrous membrane with high filtration performance, high air permeability and enhanced flame retardancy for COFs removal is achieved via a one-step co-electrospinning process. The nanofibrous membrane consists of hierarchically branched nanofibers to offer small pore size (0.48 μm), high porosity (94.75 %) and low packing density (0.22 g m−3), as well as surface superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 154°) and superoleophilicity (vegetable oil wetting time of 0.21 s). The nanofibrous filter demonstrates high-efficiency COFs removal (>99.5 %), low air resistance (<70 Pa) and good reusability and stability for actual COFs purification. By virtue of the simple fabrication technique and the superiorities in COFs capture, the bioinspired vine-like hierarchical structured nanofibrous membranes have promising applications for oily fumes filtration and air purification in the catering industry.

Anti-Adhesive Resorbable Indomethacin/Bupivacaine-Eluting Nanofibers for Tendon Rupture Repair: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

The treatment and surgical repair of torn Achilles tendons seldom return the wounded tendon to its original elasticity and stiffness. This study explored the in vitro and in vivo simultaneous release of indomethacin and bupivacaine from electrospun polylactide-polyglycolide composite membranes for their capacity to repair torn Achilles tendons. These membranes were fabricated by mixing polylactide-polyglycolide/indomethacin, polylactide-polyglycolide/collagen, and polylactide-polyglycolide/bupivacaine with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol into sandwich-structured composites. Subsequently, the in vitro pharmaceutic release rates over 30 days were determined, and the in vivo release behavior and effectiveness of the loaded drugs were assessed using an animal surgical model. High concentrations of indomethacin and bupivacaine were released for over four weeks. The released pharmaceutics resulted in complete recovery of rat tendons, and the nanofibrous composite membranes exhibited exceptional mechanical strength. Additionally, the anti-adhesion capacity of the developed membrane was confirmed. Using the electrospinning technique developed in this study, we plan on manufacturing degradable composite membranes for tendon healing, which can deliver sustained pharmaceutical release and provide a collagenous habitat.