Poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable aliphatic polyester that can be used in the field of biomaterials. Electrospinning is the name given to the process of producing micro and nanoscale fibers using electrostatically charged polymeric solutions under certain conditions. Almost all synthetic and naturally occurring polymers can undergo electrospinning using suitable solvents or mixtures prepared in certain proportions. In this study, silica aerogels were obtained by the sol-gel method. PCL-silica aerogel fibers were synthesized by adding 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% ratios in the PCL solution. Blood contact analysis was performed on the produced fibers with UV-VIS. According to the results obtained, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% nano-silver were added to the fiber-containing 4% aerogel. Then, SEM-EDS and FTIR analyses were performed on all fibers produced. Antimicrobial tests were performed on fibers containing nano-silver. As a result, high-performance blood coagulation fibers were developed using PCL with aerogel, and an antimicrobial effect was achieved with nano-silver particles. It is thought that the designed surface will be preferred in wound dressing and biomaterial in tissue engineering, as it provides a high amount of cell adhesion with a small amount of blood and contains antimicrobial properties.
Keywords: aerogel; antimicrobial effect; coagulation effect; electrospinning; fiber; nano-silver; polycaprolactone.