Green Electrospinning of Biodegradable Cellulose Acetate Nanofibrous Membranes with Tunable Porosity

Abstract

The electrospinning of polymer nanofibers has received significant attention owing to their high surface-area-tovolume ratio, high porosity, adjustable pore size and texture, and highly interconnected porous structure. In particular, the electrospinning of biodegradable cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers has sparked interest in diverse applications, including drug delivery systems, scaffolding for tissue engineering, air filtration, and affinity membrane systems. However, the electrospinning process has been mostly performed using toxic and hazardous solvents and additives. We developed electrospun CA nanofibers using a green solvent system comprising dimethyl carbonate and cyclopentanone. The use of green additives, namely, tetrabutylammonium bromide salts and sophorolipid-based biosurfactants, obtained from honey yeast, substantially improved the spinnability of the CA solution. Moreover, the nanofiber diameter and porous texture were tunable by adjusting the solvent ratio. Pore generation was induced using volatile dimethyl carbonate, which quickly evaporated from the fiber jet. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the electrospinning process can be divided into three stages. The addition of the biosurfactant facilitated the evaporation process and improved the uniformity of the nanofibers. Furthermore, the nanofibers can be degraded using esterase and cellulase enzymes. To summarize, the electrospinning of ultrafine CA porous nanofibers with tunable morphology was achieved using green solvents and additives.

Emerging trends in membrane-based wastewater treatment: electrospun nanofibers and reticular porous adsorbents as key components

“…Consequently, there exists a necessity to transition membrane production techniques towards environmentally sustainable alternatives, characterised by reduced utilization of hazardous solvents and adherence to principles of sustainability. [51][52][53][54][55] Furthermore, in order to optimize the effectiveness of the separation process, a range of modifications and manufacturing techniques have been employed with regard to the membrane. Significant enhancements in membrane performance have been achieved by modifying surface properties using various techniques, including plasma etching, 56 thermal crosslinking, 57 and oxidation.…”

Electrospun nanofibers for medical face mask with protection capabilities against viruses: State of the art and perspective for industrial scale-up

“…(h) SEM image showing the bacteria growth on PLA surface after 20 days of treatment in cow-dung, jaggery and water containing biodegradation slurry; adapted with permission from [ 173 ]. Biodegradability tests performed on the CA electrospun based membranes by employing esterase and cellulase enzymes: (i) Polypropylene fibrous membrane used as control, given its non-susceptibility to degrade under enzymes conditions; (j) CA nanofibers tissue; (k) CA nanofibers tissue processed with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB); and (l) CA nanofibers tissue processed with High-foaming HoneySurf (HS); adapted with permission from [ 204 ]. …”

“…Also, Oldal et al. observed that CA electrospun nanofibers membrane can be easily degraded by means of natural enzymes, such as cellulase and esterase [ 204 ]. Compared to pristine CA nanofibers, a faster response in the degradation process has been observed for CA membranes pretreated in solution with green surfactant ( Fig.…”

Engineered Robust Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Nanofibrous Scaffolds with Drug-Eluting, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Capacity

“…7,10,13 Several strategies have been implemented to overcome these challenges, including physical and chemical modification 13−15 and the use of harsh and hazardous solvents. 16,17 A versatile approach involves fabricating multicomponent constructs which can help avoid the use of toxic reagents as solvents, cross-linkers, or processing aids. 7 Moreover, the integration of constituents with complementary properties into a single fabric can provide multifunctionality to the hybrid materials.…”