Polymer-Based Electrospun Nanofibers for Biomedical Applications

• Main Authors: Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Moustafa M. Zagho, Ahmed A. Elzatahry
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-04-01
• Series: Nanomaterials
• Subjects: electrospinning; nanofibers; medical prostheses; wound dressing; drug release; tissue engineering; blood vessels; bone
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/8/4/259

Electrospinning has been considered a promising and novel procedure to fabricate polymer nanofibers due to its simplicity, cost effectiveness, and high production rate, making this technique highly relevant for both industry and academia. It is used to fabricate non-woven fibers with unique characteristics such as high permeability, stability, porosity, surface area to volume ratio, ease of functionalization, and excellent mechanical performance. Nanofibers can be synthesized and tailored to suit a wide range of applications including energy, biotechnology, healthcare, and environmental engineering. A comprehensive outlook on the recent developments, and the influence of electrospinning on biomedical uses such as wound dressing, drug release, and tissue engineering, has been presented. Concerns regarding the procedural restrictions and research contests are addressed, in addition to providing insights about the future of this fabrication technique in the biomedical field.