Hydrogel Nanofilaments via Core-Shell Electrospinning

PLoS One. 2015 Jun 19;10(6):e0129816. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129816. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Recent biomedical hydrogels applications require the development of nanostructures with controlled diameter and adjustable mechanical properties. Here we present a technique for the production of flexible nanofilaments to be used as drug carriers or in microfluidics, with deformability and elasticity resembling those of long DNA chains. The fabrication method is based on the core-shell electrospinning technique with core solution polymerisation post electrospinning. Produced from the nanofibers highly deformable hydrogel nanofilaments are characterised by their Brownian motion and bending dynamics. The evaluated mechanical properties are compared with AFM nanoindentation tests.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Hydrogels / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*

Substances

  • Hydrogels

Grants and funding

This work was supported by 2011/03/B/ST8/05481, National Science Centre Poland (http://www.ncn.gov.pl/?language=en) and 2012/05/D/ST5/03464, National Science Centre Poland (http://www.ncn.gov.pl/?language=en). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.