Development of an electrospinning-based rapid prototyping for scaffold fabrication

Abstract

Purpose -This paper aims to present the development of an electrospinning-based rapid prototyping (ESRP) technique for the fabrication of patterned scaffolds from fine fiber. Design/methodology/approach -This ESRP technique unifies rapid prototyping (RP) and electrospinning to obtain the ability of RP to create a controllable pattern and of electrospinning to create a continuous fine fiber. The technique follows RP process of fused deposition modeling, but instead of using extrusion process for fiber creation, electrospinning is applied to generate a continuous fiber from a liquid solution. A machine prototype has been constructed and used in the experiments to evaluate the technique. Findings -Three different lay-down patterns: 0°/90°, 45°/135°and 45°twists were used in the experiments. According to the experimental results, stacks of patterned layers could be created with the ESRP technique, and the fabrication process was repeatable and reproducible. However, the existing machine vibration influenced the fiber size and the ability to control straightness and gap size. Also, incomplete solidification of the fibers prior to being deposited obstructed the control of layer thickness. Improvement on vibration suppression and fiber solidification will strengthen the capability of this ESRP technique. Research limitations/implications -This research is currently limited to the introduction of the ESRP technique, to the development of the machine prototype, to the demonstration of its capability and to the evaluation of the structural properties of the fabricated patterned scaffolds. Further studies are required for better control of the patterned scaffolds and for investigation of mechanical and biological properties. Originality/value -This unification of the two processes allows not only the fabrication of controllable patterned scaffolds but also the fabrication of both woven and non-woven layers of fibers to be done on one machine.

Design and Fabrication of Fibrous Nanomaterials Using Pull Spinning

“…Electrospinning techniques decrease jet instability and control deposition by adjusting the electrode setup, collecting fibers between fixed plates, or minimizing distance between spinneret and collector . However, significant decreases in throughput or disruption of fiber morphology can occur due to residual charge buildup, low collection speed, insufficient solvent evaporation, applied voltage, or polymer flow rate . A comparison of these techniques, along with other nanofiber fabrication systems, is further summarized in Table .…”

“…Once formed, the fibers can be collected and processed using external pumps, alternating applied electric fields, spinnerets, coagulation, and wash chambers, or heated drum rolls to form aligned functional materials . Several electrospinning techniques have been developed to further control fiber deposition and structure, producing aligned fibrous nanostructures by minimizing the distance between a charged nozzle and grounded collector . While these modifications enable geometries which were previously unattainable for electrospun fibers, the technique remains limited in both speed and the range of materials used.…”

Investigation of process parameters of electrohydrodynamic jetting for 3D printed PCL fibrous scaffolds with complex geometries

“…Bu et al [30] developed a mechano-electrospinning technique for fabricating oriented nanofibres and the controlled parameter was the moving speed of the substrate. Chanthakulchan et al [31] developed an Electrospinning-based rapid prototyping method for fabrication of patterned scaffolds but only achieved a certain level, due to the challenges of controlling the vibration. Auyson et al [32] studied the effect of various parameters of the hybrid Electrospinning / Fused Depositio Modelling (FDM) on the fabricated scaffold and concluded that two most important parameters to get a continuous jet are the voltage applied and the standoff distance between the nozzle and the substrate.…”

Surface functionalization of nanobiomaterials for application in stem cell culture, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine

“…Thus, it was demonstrated that ESRP‐fabricated three dimensional hierarchical scaffolds are effective tools for the expansion of HSCs without modifying their phenotype. It is anticipated that future advances and improvements in vibration suppression and fiber solidification will critically fortify the capability of the ESRP technique …”