Development of Thermo-Responsive Polycaprolactone–Polydimethylsiloxane Shrinkable Nanofibre Mesh

Abstract

A thermally activated shape memory polymer based on the mixture of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was fabricated into the nanofibre mesh using the electrospinning process. The added percentages of the PDMS segment in the PCL-based polymer influenced the mechanical properties. Polycaprolactone serves as a switching segment to adjust the melting temperature of the shape memory electro-spun PCL–PDMS scaffolds to our body temperature at around 37 °C. Three electro-spun PCL–PDMS copolymer nanofibre samples, including PCL6–PDMS4, PCL7–PDMS3 and PCL8–PDMS2, were characterised to study the thermal and mechanical properties along with the shape memory responses. The results from the experiment showed that the PCL switching segment ratio determines the crystallinity of the copolymer nanofibres, where a higher PCL ratio results in a higher degree of crystallinity. In contrast, the results showed that the mechanical properties of the copolymer samples decreased with the PCL composition ratio. After five thermomechanical cycles, the fabricated copolymer nanofibres exhibited excellent shape memory properties with 98% shape fixity and above 100% recovery ratio. Moreover, biological experiments were applied to evaluate the biocompatibility of the fabricated PCL–PDMS nanofibre mesh. Owing to the thermally activated shape memory performance, the electro-spun PCL–PDMS fibrous mesh has a high potential for biomedical applications such as medical shrinkable tubing and wire.

Micropatterned Fibrous Scaffold Produced by Using Template-Assisted Electrospinning Technique for Wound Healing Application

“…The nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated using electrospinning techniques with the optimal parameters according to our experimental results [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. The initial process started by dissolving the polycaprolactone (PCL) granule [ 19 , 21 , 22 ] into the solvent of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP, 99%, Sigma-Aldrich, Kaohsiung, Taiwan) for making 20 wt% polymer concentrations.…”

Recent Advances in Polymer Nanocomposites: Unveiling the Frontier of Shape Memory and Self-Healing Properties—A Comprehensive Review

“…However, the Young’s modulus reduced from 12.65 MPa to 3.42 MPa. After successive cycles, the film showed a shape fixity of 98% and a shape recovery of over 100% due to HB and dipole interaction [ 106 ]. A triple responsive polymer composed of polyolefin, lauric acid, and carbon black nanoparticles (POE/LA/CB) exhibited a stimulus response towards three stimuli including solvent, electrical, and thermal responses.…”

Shape-Memory Materials via Electrospinning: A Review

“…Hsieh et al [192] developed electrospun copolymer nanofibers with potential applications as medical shrinkable tubing and wire, based on PCL and PDMS with different PCL/PDMS ratios, where PCL acted as the switching segment and determined the crystallinity of the copolymer nanofibers. The fabricated copolymers performed SM properties with a response of 10 s to recover its original shape and R r and R f values around 98% and 100%, respectively, triggered by a temperature around 37 • C, which is the melting temperature revealed from all the produced materials for all compositions.…”