Bölgen N, Menceloğlu Y Z, Acatay K, Vargel I, Pişkin E
Hacettepe University, Chemical Engineering Department and Bioengineering Division and TUBITAK-USAM-Biyomedtek, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey.
J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2005;16(12):1537-55. doi: 10.1163/156856205774576655.
The aim of this study was to prepare non-woven materials from a biodegradable polymer, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) by electrospinning. PCL was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone in bulk using stannous octoate as the catalyst under nitrogen atmosphere. PCL was then processed into non-woven matrices composed of nanofibers by electrospinning of the polymer from its solution using a high voltage power supply. The effects of PCL concentration, composition of the solvent (a mixture of chloroform and DMF with different DMF content), applied voltage and tip-collector distance on fiber diameter and morphology were investigated. The diameter of fibers increased with the increase in the polymer concentration and decrease in the DMF content significantly. Applied voltage and tip-collector distance were found critical to control 'bead' formation. Elongation-at-break, ultimate strength and Young's modulus were obtained from the mechanical tests, which were all increased by increasing fiber diameter. The fiber diameter significantly influenced both in vitro degradation (performed in Ringer solution) and in vivo biodegradation (conducted in rats) rates. In vivo degradation was found to be faster than in vitro. Electrospun membranes were more hydrophobic than PCL solvent-casted ones; therefore, their degradation was a much slower process.
本研究的目的是通过静电纺丝由可生物降解的聚合物聚（ε-己内酯）（PCL）制备非织造材料。在氮气气氛下，以辛酸亚锡为催化剂，通过ε-己内酯的本体开环聚合反应合成PCL。然后，使用高压电源通过从聚合物溶液中静电纺丝将PCL加工成由纳米纤维组成的非织造基质。研究了PCL浓度、溶剂组成（不同DMF含量的氯仿和DMF混合物）、施加电压和针尖-收集器距离对纤维直径和形态的影响。纤维直径随着聚合物浓度的增加和DMF含量的降低而显著增加。发现施加电压和针尖-收集器距离对于控制“珠粒”形成至关重要。通过力学测试获得了断裂伸长率、极限强度和杨氏模量，它们均随着纤维直径的增加而增加。纤维直径显著影响体外降解（在林格氏溶液中进行）和体内生物降解（在大鼠体内进行）速率。发现体内降解比体外降解更快。静电纺丝膜比PCL溶剂浇铸膜更疏水；因此，它们的降解是一个慢得多的过程。
