Structure Of Nanofibers Research Articles

A Nanofibrous Polypyrrole Membrane with an Ultrahigh Areal Specific Capacitance and Improved Energy and Power Densities.

For conductive polymers to be competitive with carbon-based electrode materials, it is critical to increase their surface area and electroactivity. In this work, a thick nanofibrous polypyrrole (PPy) membrane with communicating interfiber spaces was prepared through one-pot interfacial polymerization for the first time. The electrochemical properties and conductivity of the membrane were studied with cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and a four-point probe. Its morphology, chemistry, and thermostability were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The areal specific capacitances measured between 0.0 and 0.8 V at 1 mA/cm2 were 19179, 13264, 7238, and 4458 mF/cm2 for the membranes doped with docusate sodium (AOT), camphor-10-sulfonic acid (β) (CSA), Cl-, and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), respectively. The capacity retentions after 1000 cycles were 83, 74, 67, and 61% for the AOT-, CSA-, PSS-, and Cl--doped membranes, respectively. The Coulombic efficiency was above 99% for all of the membranes. They showed energy densities of 1.7, 1.2, 0.7, and 0.4 mWh/cm2 and power densities of 0.61, 0.75, 0.66, and 0.62 mW/cm2 for the AOT-, CSA-, Cl--, and PSS-doped membranes, respectively. The ultrahigh areal specific capacitance of PPy-AOT is due to its nanofibrous structure. A mechanism has been proposed to explain how this structure is formed based on the role of AOT as the surfactant. This nanofibrous PPy membrane is easy to prepare and metal-free and offers a very high areal specific capacitance, making it an excellent candidate to construct electrodes in pseudosupercapacitors.

Bridging biomimetic and bioenergetics scaffold: Cellulose-graphene oxide-arginine functionalized aerogel for stem cell-mediated cartilage repair

The avascular nature of cartilage tissue limits inherent regenerative capacity to counter any damage and this has become a substantial burden to the health of individuals. As a result, there is a high demand to repair and regenerate cartilage. Existing tissue engineering approaches for cartilage regeneration typically produce either microporous or nano-fibrous scaffolds lacking the desired biological outcome due to lack of biomimetic dual architecture of microporous construct with nano-fibrous interconnected structures like the native cartilage. Most of these scaffolds also fail to suppress ROS generation and provide sustained bioenergetics to cells, resulting in the loss of metabolic activity under avascular microenvironment of cartilage. A dual architecture microporous construct with nano-fibrous interconnected network of cellulose aerogel reinforced with arginine-coated graphene oxide (CNF-GO-Arg aerogel) was developed for cartilage regeneration. The designed dual-architectured CNF-GO-Arg aerogel using dual ice templating assembly demonstrates 80 % strain recovery ability under compression. The release of Arginine from CNF-GO-Arg aerogel supported 41 % reduction in intracellular ROS activity and promoted chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs by shifting mitochondrial bioenergetics towards oxidative phosphorylation indicated by JC-1 dye staining. Overall developed CNF-GO-Arg aerogel provided multifunctionality via biomimetic morphology, cellular bioenergetics, and suppressed ROS generation to address the need for regeneration of cartilage.

Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Derived One Dimensional Carbon Nanofibers for Na-Ion Batteries

The desire for high performance storage devices is driven by energy demand, security and sustainability. Metal oxide based nanomaterials have limitations of high cost, poor cycle life, low yeild and structural stability. In comparison, carbon materials exhibit porous structure, work well in a wide potential window, and are highly conductive. Hence, they show enhanced rate capability and cycle life. In this work, one dimensional (1D) carbon nanofibers are synthesized with the help of electrospun PAN nanofibers as precursors. These electrospun carbonaceous nanostructures can be employed as electrodes as well as substrates, leading to structural stability after cycling and increased electrode conductivity. The morphologies and structures of as-spun nanofibers were investigated in order to develop a fundamental understanding of the nucleation and growth mechanism of carbon nanofibers. These high surface area carbon nanofibers were used as anode material for sodium (Na)-ion batteries. The electrochemical performance was first optimized in a half cell configuration. These batteries can deliver a capacity of 300 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, with cycling stability of 82% for more than >500 cycles. Thus, these electrodes can become useful in batteries beyond lithium.

New 1D Nickel-Rich Ncm Cathode Materials for the Lithium-Ion Battery: Synthesis and Cyclic Stability Improvement

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are considered the most promising energy system due to their low cost, high energy density, excellent performance, and long service life, implemented in several consumer devices such as cell phones, laptops, cameras, and electric vehicles [1]. In general, the chemical properties of LIA are constantly evolving, and from the point of view of cathode materials, layered LiMO2 oxides, in which M is a combination of Ni, Mn, and Co – the so-called NCM are attracting more and more attention and is considered a potential next-generation cathode material for LIA, due to their increased specific capacity (more than 150 mAh g-1) and thermal stability [2]. In addition, NCM-based cathodes can outperform the popular lithium-iron-phosphate LiFePO4 (LFP) cathodes in many areas, especially in terms of operating voltage, in which LFP-based LIBs can produce voltages below 3.4 V and suffer from high self-discharge rates. The composition of Ni, Mn, and Co can be significantly changed to optimize the capacity, performance, structural stability, and cost of lithium-ion batteries [3]. The data indicate that the B-doped NCM811 cathodes offer notable benefits, including higher capacity retention, improved rate capability, and lower mechanical strain in their charged state [4].In this study, we focus on synthesizing 1D LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) material by electrospinning method and its enhancement upon doping with Boron and morphological modifications. The electrospinning technique has already been used to obtain NCM material [5]. B-doped and undoped NCM811 nanofibers with the 1D structure were obtained by electrospinning method and characterized. The morphology and nanofiber structure of the resulting NCM811 samples (doped, un-doped) were studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). X-ray phase analysis (XRD) studied the samples, and a series of peaks that entirely corresponded to the diffraction pattern of NCM811 were recorded. It is highly expected that the results may introduce some new ideas in the field of morphology modification and doping, which will be helpful for the rational design and manufacture of highly efficient cathode materials. Acknowledgments This research was funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. AP19679855).

Nickel-Based Metal-Organic Framework Materials with Mixed Ferrocene-Based Ligands As Anodic Catalysts for Water Electrolysis and Urea Electrolysis

Water electrolysis is a highly promising technology for hydrogen production, generating green hydrogen with no greenhouse gas emissions. The water electrolysis reaction involves two half-reactions: hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution. While oxygen evolution in water electrolysis involves a four-electron transfer requiring higher overpotential and thus leading to energy consumption. Urea electrolysis offers lower theoretical energy consumption than water electrolysis, making them a key technology in future electrolytic hydrogen production processes. Conventional anodic catalysts, such as Ir and Ru, exhibit good performance in oxygen evolution, but being precious metals, they face limitations due to high cost and limited abundance. Its is crucial to find an active, durable and cost-effective anode catalyst for realistic application.Metal-organic framework (MOF) materials, due to their high porosity, large surface area, and unique structural features, have emerged as promising materials for water electrolysis. However, their relatively poor stability is a drawback that needs to be overcome. In herein, we design the mixed ligand strategy for synthesizing the MOF materials. Ferrocene-based ligands, ferrocenedicarboxylic acid (Fd), combing with terephthalic acid (H2BDC) as the mixed ligands for this study. The MOF catalysts, namely Ni-BDC and Ni-BDC-Fd, was synthesized using a simple one-step hydrothermal method with ferrocenedicarboxylic acid and terephthalic acid.Raman spectra revealed the presence of Fe-O, originating from the iron in Fd, demonstrating a structural transformation during the hydrothermal process. XRD analysis also confirmed the existence of FeO. The SEM images showed nanosheets and nanoneedles morphologies for Ni-BDC, while a dense nanofiber structure for Ni-BDC-Fd demonstrating the effect of 2nd ligand on the MOF structure.Electrochemical tests were conducted in 1 M KOH electrolyte and 1 M KOH + 0.5 M urea electrolyte, including oxygen evolution reaction (OER), urea oxidation reaction (UOR). The overall reaction comprising the same catalysts for the anode and the cathode side is performed to examine the real electrolysis performance.Results showed that the addition of Fd enhanced OER and UOR activity in alkaline and urea electrolytes. Ni-BDC-Fd achieved 1.483 V vs. RHE and 1.386 V vs. RHE at 65 mA/cm-2 driving potential for OER and UOR, respectively, requiring a smaller potential than Ni-BDC to achieve the same current density. To verify that the performance improvement was not solely due to iron, NiFe-BDC was synthesized by adding iron nitrate, showing inferior UOR performance compared to Ni-BDC-Fd but superior OER performance to NiFe-BDC. This indicated that the performance improvement resulted from structural changes rather than just the presence of iron atoms. Ni-BDC-Fd exhibited the lowest Tafel slope in OER, indicating a faster reaction rate due to the increased active surface area during OER. After continuous catalysis for 80 hours in the alkaline water electrolysis cell and urea electrolysis cell, a significant improvement in the loss of potential was observed.These results suggest that the addition of ferrocene dicarboxylic acid altered the structure of Ni-BDC, maintaining an appropriate interlayer distance. This not only enhanced its catalytic performance but also improved its catalytic stability, demonstrating a promising strategy for preparing metal-organic framework materials for electrocatalysis applications. Figure 1

Encapsulation of HRP-Immobilized Silica Particles into Hollow-Type Spherical Bacterial Cellulose Gel: A Novel Approach for Enzyme Reactions within Cellulose Gel Capsules.

We revealed that the encapsulation of enzyme-immobilized silica particles in hollow-type spherical bacterial cellulose (HSBC) gels enables the use of the inside of HSBC gels as a reaction field. The encapsulation of horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-immobilized silica particles (Si-HRPs, particle size: 40-50 μm) within HSBC gels was performed by using a BC gelatinous membrane produced at the interface between Komagataeibacter xylinus suspension attached onto an alginate gel containing Si-HRPs and silicone oil. After the biosynthesis of the BC gelatinous membrane, formed from cellulose nanofiber networks, the alginate gel was removed via immersion in a phosphate-buffered solution. Si-HRP encapsulated HSBC gels were reproducibly produced using our method with a yield of over 90%. The pore size of the network structure of the BC gelatinous membrane was less than 1 μm, which is significantly smaller than the encapsulated Si-HRPs. Consequently, the encapsulated Si-HRPs could neither pass through the BC gelatinous membrane nor leak from the interior cavity of the HSBC gel. The activity of the encapsulated HRPs was detected using the 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)-H2O2 system, demonstrating that this method can encapsulate the enzyme without inactivation. Since HSBC gels are composed of a network structure of biocompatible cellulose nanofibers, immune cells cannot enter the hollow interior, thus, the enzyme-immobilized particles encapsulated inside the HSBC gel are protected from immune-cell attacks. The encapsulation technique demonstrated in this study is expected to facilitate the delivery of enzymes and catalysts that are not originally present in the in vivo environment.

Enhanced differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in coral-incorporated PCL/elastin scaffold enables 3D defect healing in osteoporosis rat model

In osteoporosis, bone quality adversely affects the tissue structural competence which increases the risk of a complicated fracture healing. In the present study highly potent scaffold containing natural coral particles was designed and considered for the healing of critical size bone defect in osteoporosis rat model. Scaffold morphological evaluation confirmed the porous nanofibrous structure. Water uptake of about 900 % was obtained for the fabricated scaffold as the result of its composition and three-dimensional structure. Mechanical analysis revealed the compressive modulus of about 50 kPa for the fabricated coral-incorporated nanofibrous structure. In vitro cellular assessments revealed that the designed scaffold induces no toxicity and provides the proper substrate for cell attachment together with increased and prolonged cell proliferation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that implantation of the fabricated scaffold in the femoral defects of osteoporotic rats significantly increased the number of osteocytes and osteoblasts, and enhanced the BTV, and BMP-2 expression compared with the control group. Furthermore, it was observed that seeding the scaffolds with MSCs prior to implantation, resulted in substantial improvements in mRNA expression of the BMP-2 and VEGF genes and considerable enhancement in stereological findings such as significantly higher number of osteoblasts, osteocytes, TVB, and BTV.

Cancer Treatment Using Nanofibers: A Review.

Currently, the number of patients with cancer is expanding consistently because of a low quality of life. For this reason, the therapies used to treat cancer have received a lot of consideration from specialists. Numerous anticancer medications have been utilized to treat patients with cancer. However, the immediate utilization of anticancer medicines leads to unpleasant side effects for patients and there are many restrictions to applying these treatments. A number of polymers like cellulose, chitosan, Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), peptides and Poly (hydroxy alkanoate) have good properties for the treatment of cancer, but the nanofibers-based target and controlled drug delivery system produced by the co-axial electrospinning technique have extraordinary properties like favorable mechanical characteristics, an excellent release profile, a high surface area, and a high sponginess and are harmless, bio-renewable, biofriendly, highly degradable, and can be produced very conveniently on an industrial scale. Thus, nanofibers produced through coaxial electrospinning can be designed to target specific cancer cells or tissues. By modifying the composition and properties of the nanofibers, researchers can control the release kinetics of the therapeutic agent and enhance its accumulation at the tumor site while minimizing systemic toxicity. The core-shell structure of coaxial electrospun nanofibers allows for a controlled and sustained release of therapeutic agents over time. This controlled release profile can improve the efficacy of cancer treatment by maintaining therapeutic drug concentrations within the tumor microenvironment for an extended period.

Seed-assisted two-step ZIF-67 growth on CS/PVA nanofibers for high-efficiency cadmium and tetracycline adsorption

Herein, novel ZIF-67/CS/PVA (CNF-2) nanofiber composites using a two-step seed-assisted in situ electrospinning method, with cobalt-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) as the precursor was prepared. SEM, EDX, AFM, FTIR, and XRD analyses revealed the optimal formation of ZIF-67 nanoparticles both inside and on the surface of CS/PVA nanofibers without compromising the structure of these electrospun nanofibers. The unique porous structure and heterointerfaces of the ZIF-67/CS/PVA (CNF-2) nanofiber composites demonstrated remarkable adsorption capacities for cadmium (Cd) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), achieving 1137.94 and 1029.5 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption effectiveness for Cd and TCH was 94.83 % and 85.79 %, respectively, under optimal adsorption conditions: pH 8, adsorbent dosage of 0.01 g, initial Cd and TCH concentration of 80 mg/L, and a contact time of 120 min. The study of coexisting Cd and TCH adsorption on CNF-2 under varying pH conditions (4–8) reveals a significant enhancement in Cd adsorption efficiency, increasing from 41.91 % to 97.49 %. Conversely, TCH exhibits a more modest improvement, with its adsorption efficiency rising from 72.53 % to 85.96 %. Kinetic and equilibrium studies revealed that the adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm. The prepared nanofiber adsorbed 60 % of Malachite green dye. The engineered adsorbent demonstrated impressive regeneration potential, maintaining its efficiency over three successive adsorption–desorption cycles.

Design and fabrication of highly aligned poly(l‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) nanofiber yarns and braided textiles

AbstractAn approach that combines a modified electrospinning method with thermal stretching post‐treatment is designed to fabricate poly(l‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) (PLCL) electrospun nanofiber yarns (ENYs). The nanofiber diameter in the PLCL ENYs is found to present an increasing trend with the increasing of polymeric concentration. When the PLCL concentration reaches 13% (w/v), the as‐generated ENYs show bead‐free and uniform nanofibrous structure. Then, a thermally stretching technique is applied to process the primarily‐obtained PLCL ENYs. When the stretching temperature is set as 60 °C, the thermally‐stretched PLCL ENYs present superior fiber orientation and notably enhanced crystallinity, thus resulting in dramatically increased mechanical properties. Finally, the thermally stretched PLCL ENYs are further processed into braided fabrics, and their mechanical properties are found to possess an obviously increased trend with the increasing of ENY numbers, demonstrating the adjustment feasibility of the mechanical properties of ENY‐based textiles by controlling the ENY numbers. Importantly, the in vitro cell studies demonstrate that the ENY‐based braided textiles significantly support the adhesion and proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). In all, the present study provides an easily‐handling strategy to fabricate high performance PLCL ENYs, which shows promising future for the generation of advanced biomedical textiles.

Nanofibrous La0.95K0.05MnO3 perovskite with improved photoelectrical properties for photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics

Potassium doped lanthanum manganese perovskite oxides, La1−xKxMnO3, with nanofibrous structure, are prepared and used for Photo-Fenton degradation of antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin (CIP), tetracycline (TC), and sulfathiazole (ST). Effects of K doping on the textural structure, optical property, band gap and surface chemistry of LaMnO3 are investigated, showing that La0.95K0.05MnO3 (LKMO-5) has the optimal properties. The photoelectric measurements, including photoluminescence (PL), photocurrent response (PCR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), also suggest that the LKMO-5 has the best electron–hole separation efficiency, the most amounts of irradiated electrons and the lowest impedance. Photocatalytic tests indicate that LKMO-5 not only shows the best activity for CIP degradation, but also exhibits good stability in the reaction, with negligible activity loss within four cycles. Mechanism investigations, explored by the radical trapping experiments and with the reference of band positions, indicate that superoxide radical ions (·O2−) and holes (h+) are the major reactive species of the reaction.

Fabrication and characterization of chitin/collagen aerogels crosslinked by KH560 for bilirubin adsorption

Hemoperfusion is regarded as the most effective treatment for hyperbilirubinemia. The adsorbent play crucial important role for bilirubin removal. An ideal adsorbent should possess good biocompatibility as well as high bilirubin adsorption capacity. In this study, two natural polymers composed of chitin and collagen plus KH560 that served as a crosslinking agent were selected to fabricate chitin/collagen composite aerogels (CKC), and potentially used as efficient bilirubin adsorption. The fabricated CKC aerogels exhibited homogeneous, dense and nanoscale 3D-porous nanofibrous structures. And the CKC aerogels showed high adsorption capacity (209.62 ± 2.28 mg/g) for free bilirubin within 4 h. More important, dynamic adsorption experiment illustrated the adsorption capacity reached to 265.22 ± 4.77 mg/g, larger than that of static adsorption. The further tests manifested the CKC aerogels had excellent blood compatibility and no toxicity in vivo. This novel naturally-based aerogels were an economical, biocompatible and efficient adsorbent for the bilirubin removal, potentially providing new ideas for development of new adsorbents.

High-performance biomass tar-based nanofibers with CoNi nanosheets prepared by electrospinning for supercapacitor electrode material

Biomass-based nanofibers prepared by electrospinning have broad prospects in the field of supercapacitors. In this work, biomass tar-based carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are prepared by electrospinning technology, and the CoNi nanosheets are grown on the surface of CNFs. The obtained electrode materials have a three-dimensional open petal-like nanofiber structure, and the results of the electrochemical performances show that the CoNi@CNF-1 has a specific capacitance of 474.4F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, an energy density of 65.9 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 250 W kg−1. After 5000 charge-discharge cycles, the CoNi@CNF-1 still maintains 95.4 % of its original capacitance in the three-electrode system. This work provides an important reference for the effective treatment of biomass tar and its application in the field of electrochemical energy storage.

Nanofiber array growth mechanism based on dealloying of Ti-Cu/Cu multilayer precursor film

Metal oxide nanofiber array materials are a type of material with outstanding performance and application potential. Recently, an efficient dealloying method using Ti–Cu/Cu multilayer film as a precursor was proposed to prepare titanium oxide nanofiber array structure. However, the growth mechanism and formation process of such an oxide nanofiber array grown on multilayer-film is not clear. In this work, we use Ti-Cu/Cu multilayer film as the precursor, NaOH solution as the dealloying corrosion solution, and free dealloying at room temperature. On the basis of successfully obtaining TiO2 nanofiber array films, the morphology formation and evolution process of the nanoarray were carefully monitored, and the atomic percentage changes of Ti, Cu and O elements in the dealloying precursor films were tested, as well as the formation and crystalline phase evolution trends of TiO2. Based on the experimental data, we tried to draw a schematic diagram of the formation process of this TiO2 nanofiber array, and proposed that the growth mechanism of the TiO2 nanofiber array is the precipitation growth process both with Ostwald Ripening and Oriented Attachment mechanisms. Then, the photocurrent response characteristics of the obtained nanofiber array structure samples were analyzed, and it was found that the nanofiber array structure had a certain effect on the photocurrent response performance. The completion of the present work is expected to provide a theoretical reference for the preparation and application of other metal oxide nanofiber array by dealloying method.

Aerogels based on Bacterial Nanocellulose and their Applications.

Microbial cellulose stands out for its exceptional characteristics in the form of biofilms formed by highly interlocked fibrils, namely, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). Concurrently, bio-based aerogels are finding uses in innovative materials owing to their lightweight, high surface area, physical, mechanical, and thermal properties. In particular, bio-based aerogels based on BNC offer significant opportunities as alternatives to synthetic or mineral counterparts. BNC aerogels are proposed for diverse applications, ranging from sensors to medical devices, as well as thermal and electroactive systems. Due to the fibrous nanostructure of BNC and the micro-porosity of BNC aerogels, these materials enable the creation of tailored and specialized designs. Herein, a comprehensive review of BNC-based aerogels, their attributes, hierarchical, and multiscale features are provided. Their potential across various disciplines is highlighted, emphasizing their biocompatibility and suitability for physical and chemical modification. BNC aerogels are shown as feasible options to advance material science and foster sustainable solutions through biotechnology.

Wood Fiber-Based Triboelectric Material with High Filtration Efficiency and Antibacterial Properties and Its Respiratory Monitoring in Mask.

Self-powered wearable electronic products have rapidly advanced in the fields of sensing and health monitoring, presenting greater challenges for triboelectric materials. The limited surface polarity and structural defects in wood fibers restrict their potential as substitutes for petroleum-based materials. This study used bagasse fiber as the raw material and explored various methods, including functionalizing cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with polydopamine (PDA), in situ embedding of silver particles, filtration, and freeze-drying. These methods aimed to enhance the triboelectric output, antibacterial properties, and filtration properties of lignocellulosic materials. The Ag/PDA/CNF-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) demonstrated an open-circuit voltage of 211 V and a short-circuit current of 18.1 μA. An aerogel prepared by freeze-drying the Ag/PDA/CNF material, combined with a polyvinylidene fluoride nanofiber structure fabricated by electrospinning, constitutes the TENG unit. A self-powered respiratory detection mask was created using this combination, achieving a filtration efficiency of 94.23% for 0.3 μm particles and an antibacterial rate exceeding 99%. In addition, it effectively responded to respiratory frequency signals of slow breathing, normal breathing, and shortness of breath, with the output electrical signal correlating with the respiratory frequency. This study considerably contributes to advancing wood fiber-based triboelectric materials as alternatives to petroleum-derived materials in self-powered wearable electronic products for medical applications.

Glucosamine sulfate-loaded nanofiber reinforced carboxymethyl chitosan sponge for articular cartilage restoration

Cartilage is severely limited in self-repair after damage, and tissue engineering scaffold transplantation is considered the most promising strategy for cartilage regeneration. However, scaffolds without cells and growth factors, which can effectively avoid long cell culture times, high risk of infection, and susceptibility to contamination, remain scarce. Hence, we developed a cell- and growth factor-dual free hierarchically structured nanofibrous sponge to mimic the extracellular matrix, in which the encapsulated core–shell nanofibers served both as mechanical supports and as long-lasting carriers for bioactive biomass molecules (glucosamine sulfate). Under the protection of the nanofibers in this designed sponge, glucosamine sulfate could be released continuously for at least 30 days, which significantly accelerated the repair of cartilage tissue in a rat cartilage defect model. Moreover, the nanofibrous sponge based on carboxymethyl chitosan as the framework could effectively fill irregular cartilage defects, adapt to the dynamic changes during cartilage movement, and maintain almost 100 % elasticity even after multiple compression cycles. This strategy, which combines fiber freeze-shaping technology with a controlled-release method for encapsulating bioactivity, allows for the assembly of porous bionic scaffolds with hierarchical nanofiber structure, providing a novel and safe approach to tissue repair.

Electrochemical Mineralization Regulates Hydroxyapatite Deposition of Silk Fibroin Nanofibers for Promoting Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

ABSTRACTScaffold and stem cells are the key elements in the procedure of bone repair. Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) is the proper material for bone tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility and its easy to obtain nanofiber structure. The suitable cell substrate is also an important factor because different cells have different adaptations to composite. For this case, selecting a scaffold that can promote osteogenic differentiation of various cells is crucial and meaningful. In this work, hydroxyapatite (HA) was deposited precisely onto each silk nanofiber by electrochemical mineralization (EC) to form SF/HA. SF/HA can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of both human bone marrow mesenchymal‐derived stem cells (hMSCs) and human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs). It also promot the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteogenic differentiation related genes. Western blot analyses show mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway is regulated by SF/HA. Therefore, the study provides a proper method to obtain a good composite SF/HA and it promotes the osteogenic differentiation of both hMSCs and hAMSCs.

Introducing a π‐Skeleton Perpendicular to the Central Methylene Carbon in Alkanediamides: Design of Supramolecular Polymers with an Offset π‐Stacking Arrangement

AbstractThe self‐assembly behavior of a heptanediamide derivative that contains a four‐ring fused π‐skeleton on its central methylene carbon atom has been examined. This molecule, which also contains two octyl chains, gelated the nonpolar solvent methylcyclohexane through the formation of fibrous nanostructures with hydrogen‐bonding networks through a cooperative nucleation–elongation process. The supramolecular polymerization is accompanied by bathochromic shifts of both the absorption and fluorescence bands while maintaining a fluorescence quantum yield comparable to that of the monomeric state. Theoretical calculations provided an energetically stable structure, in which the π‐skeletons are stacked with an offset of more than 8.0 Å, replicating the experimentally observed absorption change due to exciton coupling. Moreover, a slow transition with an inversion of the chiral arrangement of the π‐conjugated moieties was induced by replacing the octyl chains with chiral alkyl chains. Our molecular‐design strategy was further applied to a five‐ring fused π‐skeleton, which also forms an offset π‐stacking arrangement and exhibits more effective chiral exciton coupling in the aggregated state.

Introducing a π-Skeleton Perpendicular to the Central Methylene Carbon in Alkanediamides: Design of Supramolecular Polymers with an Offset π-Stacking Arrangement.

The self-assembly behavior of a heptanediamide derivative that contains a four-ring fused π-skeleton on its central methylene carbon atom has been examined. This molecule, which also contains two octyl chains, gelated the nonpolar solvent methylcyclohexane through the formation of fibrous nanostructures with hydrogen-bonding networks through a cooperative nucleation-elongation process. The supramolecular polymerization is accompanied by bathochromic shifts of both the absorption and fluorescence bands while maintaining a fluorescence quantum yield comparable to that of the monomeric state. Theoretical calculations provided an energetically stable structure, in which the π-skeletons are stacked with an offset of more than 8.0 Å, replicating the experimentally observed absorption change due to exciton coupling. Moreover, a slow transition with an inversion of the chiral arrangement of the π-conjugated moieties was induced by replacing the octyl chains with chiral alkyl chains. Our molecular-design strategy was further applied to a five-ring fused π-skeleton, which also forms an offset π-stacking arrangement and exhibits more effective chiral exciton coupling in the aggregated state.