Advances in Functional Polymer Nanofibers: From Spinning Fabrication Techniques to Recent Biomedical Applications

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2020 Oct 14;12(41):45673-45701. doi: 10.1021/acsami.0c12410. Epub 2020 Oct 2.

Abstract

Functional polymeric micro-/nanofibers have emerged as promising materials for the construction of structures potentially useful in biomedical fields. Among all kinds of technologies to produce polymer fibers, spinning methods have gained considerable attention. Herein, we provide a recent review on advances in the design of micro- and nanofibrous platforms via spinning techniques for biomedical applications. Specifically, we emphasize electrospinning, solution blow spinning, centrifugal spinning, and microfluidic spinning approaches. We first introduce the fundamentals of these spinning methods and then highlight the potential biomedical applications of such micro- and nanostructured fibers for drug delivery, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and sensing/biosensing. Finally, we outline the current challenges and future perspectives of spinning techniques for the practical applications of polymer fibers in the biomedical field.

Keywords: biomedical applications; centrifugal spinning; electrospinning; functional nanofibers; microfluidic spinning; solution blow spinning.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Humans
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques*
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties
  • Tissue Engineering*

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Polymers