Innovative Electrospun Nanofiber Mats Based on Polylactic Acid Composited with Silver Nanoparticles for Medical Applications.

Nanofibers are some of the most attractive materials that can modify functionalities for developing new kinds of specific applications and are mainly used as a biomedical material. Herein, we designed and prepared antibacterial nonwoven fiber mats of PLA and PLA composited with Ag nanoparticles by electrospinning. The effects of varying filler contents on their chemical, surface morphology, thermal, water absorbency, and antibacterial properties were investigated using FTIR, SEM/EDS, DSC, swelling ratio, and qualitative and quantitative antibacterial tests.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Mechanical, Thermal, and Antibacterial Properties of PLA/ZnO Nanoflower Biocomposite Filaments for 3D Printing Application.

Functionalities of 3D printing filaments have gained much attention owing to their properties for various applications in the last few years. Innovative biocomposite 3D printing filaments based on polylactic acid (PLA) composited with ZnO nanoflowers at varying contents were successfully fabricated via a single-screw extrusion technique. The effects of the varying ZnO nanoflower contents on their chemical, thermal, mechanical, and antibacterial properties were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and tensile testing, as well as qualitative and quantitative antibacterial tests, respectively.

Hydroxyapatite-hybridized chitosan/chitin whisker bionanocomposite fibers for bone tissue engineering applications.

Biomimetic nanofibrous scaffolds derived from natural biopolymers for bone tissue engineering applications require good mechanical and biological performances including biomineralization. The present work proposes the utility of chitin whisker (CTWK) to enhance mechanical properties of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) (CS/PVA) nanofibers and to offer osteoblast cell growth with hydroxyapatite (HA) mineralization. By using diacid as a solvent, electrospun CS/PVA nanofibrous membranes containing CTWK can be easily obtained.

Multicarboxylic acids as environment-friendly solvents and in situ crosslinkers for chitosan/PVA nanofibers with tunable physicochemical properties and biocompatibility.

Monocarboxylic acids are common solvents for chitosan to fabricate nanofibers however the unpleasant odor and the additional step of fiber stabilization using crosslinkers, which might cause toxicity, are always the points to be aware of. The present work demonstrates the potential use of multicarboxylic acids as environment-friendly solvents and in situ crosslinking agents for chitosan electrospinning. The use of these solvents leads to the tunable physicochemical properties, cellular compatibility, and cost effective production.

Polyethylenimine containing benzimidazole branching: a model system providing a balance of hydrogen bond network or chain mobility enhances proton conductivity.

A series of multibenzimidazole functionalized branched polyethylenimine (MPEI) molecules with varied benzimidazole substitution are designed and synthesized to study how hydrogen bonds of benzimidazole can be enhanced through the branching structure of polymer chains. The reduction of H-bonding and the increment of interatomic distance distribution initiate an increase in proton conductivity with temperature as detailed analyses by temperature dependence Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and radial distribution function calculated from temperature dependence X-ray diffraction technique. MPEIs with a higher benzimidazole substitution form a greater number of hydrogen bonds together with the lowering of chain mobility.