Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
14
Electrospi
nning of Nanoibers
Andrea M. Unser and Yubing Xie
CONTENTS
14.1. Introduction......................................................................................................................... 293
14.2. Electrospinning.Process.................................................................................................... 294
14.2.1. Mechanism.and.Setup.of.Electrospinning......................................................... 294
14.2.2. Parameters.Involved.in.Electrospinning............................................................ 296
14.2.3. Polymers.and.Solvents.Used.in.Electrospinning............................................... 297
14.2.3.1. Synthetic.Polymers.................................................................................. 297
14.2.3.2. Natural.Polymers..................................................................................... 299
14.2.4. Melt.Electrospinning............................................................................................. 299
14.2.5. Core-Shell.Electrospinning................................................................................... 300
14.2.6. Fabrication.of.Aligned.Nanoibers....................................................................... 300
14.3. Characterization.of.Electrospun.Nanoibers.................................................................. 303
14.3.1. Morphology.and.Diameters.of.Nanoibers......................................................... 303
14.3.1.1. Scanning.Electron.Microscopy.............................................................. 304
14.3.1.2. Transmission.Electron.Microscopy....................................................... 304
14.3.1.3. Atomic.Force.Microscopy....................................................................... 304
14.3.2. Porosity.................................................................................................................... 304
14.3.2.1. Based.on.Apparent.Density.by.Weight.Measurement....................... 304
14.3.2.2. Porosimetry.............................................................................................. 305
14.3.3. Mechanical.Properties........................................................................................... 306
14.3.4. Thermal.Properties................................................................................................ 306
14.4. Biological.Materials.and.Applications............................................................................. 307
14.4.1. Nanoiber-Based.Tissue.Engineering.................................................................. 307
14.4.2. Nanoiber-Based.Drug.Delivery.......................................................................... 309
14.4.3. Electrospun.Nanoibers.in.Enzyme.Engineering.............................................. 311
14.5. Conclusions.and.Perspectives.......................................................................................... 312
Acknowledgment........................................................................................................................ 313
References..................................................................................................................................... 313
14.1 Introduction
Electrospinning. is. a. proicient. method. used. to. draw. micro-. or. nanosized. ibers. from. a.
polymer. solution. or. melt.. As. the. name. implies,. this. technique. is. derived. from. the. terms.
electrostatic.and.spinning..The.driving.force.behind.this.technique.is.electrostatic.repul-
sion.rather.than.a.mechanical.force..Through.this.process,.polymer.ibers.are.formed.with.
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