Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
(a)
Figure 13.2.
Tranmission Electron Micrograph of nanofi bers synthesized by self assembly
of peptide amphiphiles (negatively stained with phosphotungstic acid.) Reprinted from
Hartgerink JD, Beniash E, Stupp SI. Peptide-amphiphile nanofi bers: A versatile scaffold for the
preparation of self-assembling materials. Proc Nat Acad Sci 2002;99(8):5133-5138. Copyright ©
2002 National Academy of Sciences. USA. Reprinted with permission of the National Academy
of Sciences, USA.
still limited by low productivity [61]. Further, the process is limited to the use of
components of peptide origin only.
13.3.2 Phase Separation
Another method that has been used for the synthesis of nanofi brous scaffolds is
phase separation [62]. This technique encompasses the following steps:
1. In this method, the polymer of interest is fi rst mixed with a solvent.
2. The mixture is then allowed to undergo gelation (phase separation) at low
temperatures.
3. The solvent is then extracted by immersing the gel into water, leaving
behind pores in the gel.
4. The gel is then frozen.
5. It is then freeze - dried under a vacuum to obtain a porous nanofi brous
structure.
Gelation plays a critical role in the formation of fi brillar matrix structure.
Further, gelation temperature also controls the porous morphology of the matrix.
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