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Electrospinning is a technique used to fabricate polymer materials with exceptional properties that are useful in tissue engineering and drug delivery. These materials, however, are limited to the properties of the polymers used to make them, which has been a problem in recent years. Several studies show the use of coaxial electrospinning, a technique in which a core polymer flows inside a sheath polymer, forming a concentric morphology. This formation allows one to significantly modify the properties of electrospun polymer materials and improve their efficacy in biomedical engineering applications.
Introduction
Conclusions
COAXIALLY ELECTROSPUN FIBROUS SCAFFOLDS CREATED BY A
CONVENIENT, SELF-DEVELOPED ELECTROSPINNING APPARATUS Amish Patel
Montville Township High School
Acknowledgements
Thanks to…
Dr. George Collins and his summer research discussion
group for their advice and guidance
Jennifer Moy for teaching me lab procedures and assisting
me in the lab as well as Sahitya Allam for volunteering to
do my SEM imaging for me.
Mr. John Hoinowski for helping me construct the apparatus
Dr. Michael Jaffe and the NJIT Department of Biomedical
Engineering for providing amazing research experiences
over the past two years
Ms. Salazar, Dr. Brinkman, the Science Research course,
and my parents for their support over the past three years
The SEM images taken show evidence of zein fibers, which proves that the apparatus constructed successfully produced coaxial fibers. However, it is reasonable to doubt that conclusion due to the abundance of a film in the image, which is likely PCL. This film prevented us from using ImageJ software to measure the fiber diameter because the software could not discern between the background and fiber. More refined methods can be used to amend this problem, including using a different organic solvent to dissolve PCL, increasing the time given to allow PCL to dissolve, or using an electrospinnable polymer that dissolves easily. The fact that zein fibers were successfully formed proves the viability of the apparatus used in this study for use in tissue engineering and drug delivery studies. The apparatus constructed can be modified such that the coaxial orientation is implemented on a ForceSpinning system to drastically increase the production rate of these fibers so they can be used clinically. This is an important step in allowing electrospinning biomaterials to be used in everyday life.
Introduction
Needle
Several studies show the use of coaxial electrospinning, a technique in which a core polymer flows inside a sheath polymer, forming a concentric morphology. This formation allows one to significantly modify the properties of electrospun polymer materials and improve their efficacy in biomedical engineering applications.
Abstract
Experimental Design Sheath Polymer Solution – Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) in
methylene chloride
Core Polymer Solution – Zein protein in 80% ethanol and
20% dH2O
Needle
Figure 1: Electrospinning a polymer within another polymer creates
a concentric fiber morphology, seen in the cross-section on the right.
Electrospinning has been used as a reliable method of creating polymer nanofibrous constructs for applications in fields such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. However, the use of a single polymer has limited the potential of these constructs. Coaxial electrospinning is a novel method that has prospects of increasing the versatility of electrospun materials. This version of electrospinning utilizes a coaxial fiber of concentric morphology with a core polymer within a sheath polymer. This coaxial fiber may be a better option in tissue engineering and drug delivery because it has extended capability as a result of using two different polymers. Studies have shown the use of this morphology in improving hydrophobicity, tensile strength, conductivity, and other crucial properties used in mimicking the environment of cells or delivering drugs. In this study, we design and construct a functional coaxial electrospinning apparatus to spin discernable fibers with a concentric, dual-phase morphology for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. The apparatus is low cost and easy to operate.
Figure 5: 1.50 mL/h
• Little evidence of fiber
formation
• Small region in which fiber-
like structures can be observed
Figure 4: 1.25 mL/h
• Image shows the presence
of fibers in some areas
• A film still covers most of
the fibers
All images show evidence of a film (likely to be PCL) obstructing the
view of the fibers, yet they are still in a concentric morphology.
Figure 6: 1.50 mL/h Images of coaxially electrospun
materials after electrospinning
Flow Rates Tested (mL/h)
PCL Sheath 1.10 (Control)
Zein Core 1.00 (Control) 1.25 1.50
• Materials were electrospun using the above flow rates
(3 total materials electrospun)
• PCL sheath dissolved afterwards for analysis of core to
confirm formation of concentric morphology
• Quantitative Analysis – Find fiber diameter for each
sample using ImageJ software
• Qualitative Analysis – Observing the presence of
fibers in SEM images
Sheath Polymer Solution
Core Polymer Solution
A: 1.00 mL/h B: 1.25 mL/h C: 1.50 mL/h
Results Methods Results
Figure 3: 1.00 mL/h
• Fiber-like structure can be
seen throughout
• Considered evidence of
fibers
Electric Field Surface
Tension
High Voltage
Power Source
Ground
Solution-loaded
syringes
Construction of Apparatus
2a
Figure 2: a) Setup of apparatus
during electrospinning. b) Core
solution needle is inserted into
sheath solution needle through
a Luer male to female elbow
adapter.
Syringe with core
solution
Syringe with
sheath solution
Results
Methods