Elastin‐based polymer: synthesis, characterization and examination of its miscibility characteristics with poly(vinyl alcohol) and electrospinning of the miscible blends

Abstract

Miscibility is an important factor for peptide‐based polymer blends for employment in the pharmaceutical, drug delivery and biomedical fields. The current study presents the synthesis of a repeating sequence of elastin, poly(GVGIP), characterized using 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and an investigation of its miscibility characteristics with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) over a broad range of composition in solid and solution phase using various analytical techniques. The miscibility behaviour of the blend solutions was established quantitatively by the analysis of various parameters of simple viscometric measurements. The results confirmed the miscibility of the blends containing up to 50% of the polypeptide. Further, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the existence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the two polymers in the blends. Scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction revealed the change in surface morphology and crystallinity for blend films. Differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated a single glass transition temperature of the blend films. Interestingly, long, thin nanofibre meshes were also successfully prepared through electrospinning of poly(GVGIP)/PVA blends from aqueous solutions at a very low concentration (5 wt%). © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry

Bioactive Electrospun Fibers: Fabrication Strategies and a Critical Review of Surface-Sensitive Characterization and Quantification

“…Until now, only a few papers have been published on radiolabeling fibers. For instance, asbestos fibers were labeled with 68 Ge by Tewson et al, 406 and the effects of labeling on the bioactivity of the fibers were evaluated. Radiolabeled fibers kept their ability to stimulate cells.…”

“…When spun alone, polypeptide fibers are often further cross-linked via EDC or aldehyde chemistry. On the contrary, it is possible to prepare blends with other synthetic polymers , or even synthesize block polymers using polypeptides and, for example, polyesters . Furthermore, studies report the synthesis of polypeptides that could serve as functional analogues of full proteins such as elastin and collagen .…”

Fabrication of electrospun Mondia whitei/PVA nanofibres: application in the removal of acidic drugs

“…Some of the polymer blend nanofibres such as chitosan/polyethylene oxide (PEO), Moringa stenopetala seed protein/PVA, alginate/soy protein, and cress seed mucilage/PVA, plastic – mimetic polypeptide/polyacrylamide (PAM), Plastic – based polypeptide (PLP)/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), elastin – based polymer/PVA and alginate/PVA have been successfully electrospun and used for the removal of emerging pollutants in environmental water, biomedical application, delivery systems, packaging film fabrication, biotechnological etc. [ 4 , 6 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. For example, Paradis-Tanguay et al removed ibuprofen from deionised water using electrospun chitosan/polyethylene oxide (PEO) [ 4 ] while Kebede et al removed a group of pharmaceuticals from wastewater using Moringa stenopetala seed protein/PVA [ 19 , 20 ].…”