Polyvinylidene fluoride/silk fibroin‐based bio‐piezoelectric nanofibrous scaffolds for biomedical application

Abstract

Since the discovery that applying electrical stimulation can promote cell growth, proliferation, and tissue regeneration, research on bio‐piezoelectric materials is being actively conducted. In this study, a composite material was prepared by mixing polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a conventional piezoelectric polymer, and silk fibroin (SF), a natural piezoelectric material that recently attracting attention. These two polymers were fabricated into a composite fiber mat using electrospinning technology. To find optimal conditions, SF was added in various ratios to prepare electrospun PVDF/SF mats. The characteristics of these PVDF/SF composite mats were then analyzed through various evaluations and in vitro studies. It was confirmed that PVDF and SF were successfully mixed through scanning electron microscope images and structural analysis such as x‐ray diffractometer and Fourier transform infrared. The results revealed that adding an appropriate amount of SF could improve the tensile strength, enhance cell proliferation rate, and generate a voltage similar to that of a conventional PVDF‐only electrospinning mat. Such fabricated electrospun PVDF/SF composite mats are expected to be useful in the bio‐piezoelectric field because they can maintain piezoelectricity while compensating for the shortcomings, such as low physical properties, of a PVDF electrospun mat.

Scaffold-Based Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) and Its Copolymers: Materials, Fabrication Methods, Applications, and Perspectives

“…As another example, when the ratio of PU to PVDF was 1:1, the piezoelectric and tensile strength were balanced, respectively 14.0 pC/N and 6.0 MPa . This result was also found in PVDF/silk fibroin (SF) scaffold, which was able to increase the proliferation rate of fibroblasts (1.5 times) …”

“…(C) Cospun electrospinning. Reproduced with permission from ref . Copyright 2021 John Wiley and Sons.…”

“…14 This result was also found in PVDF/silk fibroin (SF) scaffold, which was able to increase the proliferation rate of fibroblasts (1.5 times). 67…”

Bio-piezoelectricity: fundamentals and applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine

“…Lee et al fabricated a piezoelectric composite from the conventional piezoelectric polymers polyvinylidene fluoride and silk fibroin by using an electrospinning technique (Lee et al 2021 ). The fabricated composites were shown to be effective in producing a bio-piezoelectric field as they can keep piezoelectricity while overcoming inefficient physical properties associated with a pure PVDF electrospun mat.…”

Ternary Fiber Mats of PVDF-HFP/Cellulose/LiFe5O8 Nanoparticles with Enhanced Electric, Magnetoelectric, and Antibacterial Properties: A Promising Approach for Magnetic and Electric Field-Responsive Antibacterial Coatings

“…PVDF and its copolymers are emerging as a suitable substitution for other polymers in biomedical fields; their ability to change shape and size according to external stimuli enables diverse possibilities in various bioapplications. − Ribeiro has significantly contributed to the progress of electroactive materials in biomedical applications, introducing innovative materials and approaches for active tissue engineering applications. , According to previous reports, electroactive environments can influence microbial activities. − One of the first reports on the effect of PVDF-based piezoelectric membranes on bacterial cell growth was reported by Carvalho et al, which depicts the piezoelectric stimulus-responsive growth of G. positive and G. negative bacteria . Fernandes et al.…”