Fabrication and characterization of hydrophilic poly(ε‐caprolactone)/pluronic P123 electrospun fibers

Abstract

Poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) has been widely investigated for tissue engineering applications because of its good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical properties; however hydrophobic nature of PCL has been a colossal obstacle toward achieving scaffolds which offer satisfactory cell attachment and proliferation. To produce highly hydrophilic electrospun fibers, PCL was blended with pluronic P123 (P123) and the resulted electrospun scaffolds physiochemical characteristics such as fiber morphology, thermal behavior, crystalline structure, mechanical properties, and wettability were investigated. Moreover molecular dynamic (MD) simulation was assigned to evaluate the blended and neat PCL/water interactions. Presence of P123 at the surface of electrospun blended fibers was detected using ATR-FTIR analysis. P123 effectiveness in improving the hydrophilicity of the scaffolds was demonstrated by water contact angel which experienced a sharp decrease from 1328 corresponding to the neat PCL to almost 08 for all blended samples. Also a steady increase in water uptake ratio was observed for blended fibers as P123 content increased. The 90/10 blend ratio had the maximum tensile strength, elongation at break and crystallinity percentage. Therefore 90/10 blend ratio of PCL/P123 can balance the mechanical properties and bulk hydrophilicity of the resulted electrospun scaffold and would be a promising candidate for tissue engineering application.

Surfactant‐assisted‐water‐exposed versus surfactant‐aqueous‐solution‐exposed electrospinning of novel super hydrophilic polycaprolactone based fibers: Analysis of drug release behavior

“…Due to the good molecular interactions between PCL and PPO blocks of P123, electrospun fibers survived disintegration while immersed in water up to 10 wt % of blended P123. 13 In another study, less favorable molecular interactions between Pluronic F108 (F108) and poly lactide-co-glycolide limited the FSEoHP to be 0.5 wt % of blended F108 and fiber disintegration happened at the same percentage. 14 Direct correlation between controlled Fickian drug release and surface wettability of the electrospun drug loaded fibers has been proven in many studies.…”

“…Mirhosseini et al prepared electrospun mats of blended PCL and Pluronic P123 (P123) and calculated the FSEoHP to be 15 wt % of blended P123. Due to the good molecular interactions between PCL and PPO blocks of P123, electrospun fibers survived disintegration while immersed in water up to 10 wt % of blended P123 . In another study, less favorable molecular interactions between Pluronic F108 (F108) and poly lactide‐co‐glycolide limited the FSEoHP to be 0.5 wt % of blended F108 and fiber disintegration happened at the same percentage …”

“…In the SAWE method, two mechanisms have been postulated for the formation of Pluronic sheath anchored in PCL core: during the exposure time and before the electrospinning process, (1) aqueous phase selectively attracts Pluronic chains from the PCL/Pluronic solution and (2) the formation of myelin interlayer composed of reassembled amphiphilic polymer and PCL hinders Pluronic chain diffusion and dispersion in water. The first mechanism has been validated through molecular dynamic simulation in our previous study and can be justified by the favorable electrostatic interactions between hydrophilic segments of Pluronic and water molecules . The validity of the second mechanism however has not been yet established.…”

“…The first mechanism has been validated through molecular dynamic simulation in our previous study and can be justified by the favorable electrostatic interactions between hydrophilic segments of Pluronic and water molecules. 13 The validity of the second mechanism however has not been yet established. Considering the (1) importance of myelin interlayer formation for drug delivery purposes, (2) electrospun fiber durability in aqueous media, and (3) to test the validity of second mechanism, a simple method is proposed here and named surfactant aqueous solution exposed (SASE) electrospinning, by using the exposure of P123 aqueous solution to PCL/chloroform solution during the exposure time.…”

Surfactant‐assisted‐water‐exposed versus surfactant‐aqueous‐solution‐exposed electrospinning of novel super hydrophilic Polycaprolactone‐based fibers: Cell culture studies

“…Introducing amphiphilic block copolymers like copolymers of polyethylene oxide‐b‐polypropylene oxide‐b‐polyethylene oxide (PEO−PPO−PEO), commercially known as Pluronic, is a propitious approach to solve the miscibility issue. Hydrophilic segments of Pluronic satisfy the scaffold wettability, while the hydrophobic blocks are compatible with hydrophobic matrix polymer . However, in electrospinning process, the charged jet is exposed to air for a long distance.…”