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Solution blow spinning of polymer/nanocomposite micro-/nanofibers with tunable diameters and morphologies using a gas dynamic virtual nozzle.

ABSTRACT: Uniform endless fibers are ubiquitous and their applications range from functional textiles over biomedical engineering to high-performance filtering and drug delivery systems. Here, we report a new method for the direct, reproducible fabrication of uniform polymer and composite micro-/nanofibers using a microfluidic gas flow focusing nozzle (Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzle (GDVN)) relinquishing the need for external fiber pulling mechanisms. Compared to other methods, this technique is inexpensive, user-friendly and permits precise fiber diameter control (~250?nm to ~15?µm), high production rate (m/s-range) and direct fiber deposition without clogging due to stable, gas-focused jetting. Control over shape (flat or round) and surface patterning are achieved by simply tuning the air pressure and polymer concentration. The main thinning process happens after the polymer exits the device and is, therefore, mostly independent of the nozzle's internal geometry. Nevertheless, the lithography-based device design is versatile, allowing for precise flow-field control for operation stability as well as particle alignment control. As an example, we demonstrate the successful production of endless hematite nanocomposite fibers which highlights this technology's exciting possibilities that can lead to the fabrication of multifunctional/stimuli-responsive fibers with thermal and electrical conductivity, magnetic properties and enhanced mechanical stability.

SUBMITTER: Vasireddi R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6778068 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Solution blow spinning of polymer/nanocomposite micro-/nanofibers with tunable diameters and morphologies using a gas dynamic virtual nozzle.

Vasireddi Ramakrishna R Kruse Joscha J Vakili Mohammad M Kulkarni Satishkumar S Keller Thomas F TF Monteiro Diana C F DCF Trebbin Martin M

Scientific reports 20191004 1

Uniform endless fibers are ubiquitous and their applications range from functional textiles over biomedical engineering to high-performance filtering and drug delivery systems. Here, we report a new method for the direct, reproducible fabrication of uniform polymer and composite micro-/nanofibers using a microfluidic gas flow focusing nozzle (Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzle (GDVN)) relinquishing the need for external fiber pulling mechanisms. Compared to other methods, this technique is inexpensive, ...[more]

PMID: 31586141

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Project description:Polymer nano/micro fibers have found many applications including 3D cell culture and the creation of wound dressings. The fibers can be produced by a variety of techniques that include electrospinning, the primary disadvantage of which include the requirement for a high voltage supply (which may cause issues such as polymer denaturation) and lack of portability. More recently, solution blow spinning, where a high velocity sheath gas is used instead of high voltage, has been used to generate polymer fibers. In this work, we used blow spinning to create nano/microfibers for microchip-based 3D cell culture. First, we thoroughly investigated fiber generation from a 3D printed gas sheath device using two polymers that are amenable to cell culture (polycaprolactone, PCL and polystyrene, PS) as well as the parameters that can affect PCL and PS fiber quality. Using the 3D printed sheath device, it was found that the pressure of the sheath N2 and the concentration of polymer solutions determine if fibers can be produced as well as the resulting fiber morphology. In addition, we showed how these fibers can be used for 3D cell culture by directly depositing PCL fibers in petri dishes and well plates. It is shown the fibers have good compatibility with RAW 264.7 macrophages and the PCL fiber scaffold can be as thick as 178 ± 14 μm. PCL fibers created from solution blow spinning (with the 3D printed sheath device) were then integrated with a microfluidic device for the first time to fabricate a 3D cell culture scaffold with a flow component. After culturing and stimulating macrophages on the fluidic device, it was found that the integrated 3D fibrous scaffold is a better mimic of the extracellular matrix (as opposed to a flat, 2D substrate), with enhanced nitrite accumulation (product of nitric oxide release) from macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. PS fibers were also made and integrated in a microfluidic device for 3D culture of endothelial cells, which stayed viable for at least 72 hours (48 hours under the flowing conditions). This approach will be useful for future studies involving more realistic microchip-based culture models for studying cell-to-cell communication.

Project description:Hard-to-dissolve polymers provide next-generation alternatives for high-performance filter materials owing to their intrinsically high chemical stability, superior mechanical performance, and excellent high-temperature resistance. However, the mass production of hard-to-dissolve nanofibers still remains a critical challenge. A simple, scalable, and low-cost ionic solution blow-spinning method has herein been provided for the large-scale preparation of hard-to-dissolve Nomex polymeric nanofibers with an average diameter of nearly 100 nm. After rapidly dissolving Nomex microfibers in the lithium chloride/dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc) solution system, the conductive solution can be stably and conductivity-independently processed into nanofibers. The method optimizes electrospinning and avoids spinnability degradation and potential safety hazards caused by high electrical conductivity. Owing to nanofibrous structure and high dipole moment, Nomex nanofibrous filters show a stable high filtration efficiency of 99.92% for PM0.3 with a low areal density of 4.6 g m-2, as well as a low-pressure drop of 189.47 Pa. Moreover, the flame-retardant filter can work at 250 °C and 280 °C for a long and short time without shrinking or burning, respectively, exhibiting a high filtration efficiency of 99.50% for PM0.3-10.0. The outstanding properties and low cost enable the efficient capture of PM from various high-temperature exhausts, making Nomex nanofibrous membrane an even more ideal industrial-grade air filter than polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, and ceramic nanofibrous filters.Graphical abstractHard-to-dissolve nanofibers provide alternatives for high-efficiency and low-resistant air filtration but are limited by the universality and economics of fabrication methods. A scalable and efficient ionic solution blow-spinning strategy has herein been proposed in preparing hard-to-dissolve nanofibrous filters.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42765-022-00231-x.

Dataset Information

Solution blow spinning of polymer/nanocomposite micro-/nanofibers with tunable diameters and morphologies using a gas dynamic virtual nozzle.

Publications

Solution blow spinning of polymer/nanocomposite micro-/nanofibers with tunable diameters and morphologies using a gas dynamic virtual nozzle.

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