Polylactic Acid and Polycaprolactone Nano Fibers by Electrospinning

• Main Authors: Hsun-Yi Wang, 王薰儀
• Other Authors: Chuan Li
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/2a5b47

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 生物醫學工程學系 === 105 === Polylactic acid (PLA), a thermoplastic, biodegradable polyester, can be found from natural resources such as cassava or corn starch. To produce PLA at the industrial scale, various approaches can be employed such as injection molding, extrusion, casting, electrospinning and three dimensional printing. This diversity of different processes makes PLA accessible to a wide range of applications. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable, semi-cystalline polyester with rubbery properties. However, degradation of PCL is slower than other aliphatic polyester due to its hydrophobicity and crystallinity. PLA and PCL has excellent biocompatibility, which guarantees PLA and PCL to be suitable scaffolds for tissue and cell culture, encapsulation of drug delivery and sutures in surgical operation. In this study, we fabricated PLA/PCL nanofibers by electrospinning and investigated the morphology, chemical composition, moleculor bond of fibers, and visocity, wettability, electrical conductivity of polymer solutions used for electrospinning. The electrospinning was carried out in a setting by an electrical field supply. We control the supplied voltage, distance between the needle tip and platform. The fibers were subjected to the following measurements: Scanning electron microscope for the morphology and average diameter, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for the moleculor bond of fibers. In addition, for polymer solution prepared for electrospinning: viscometer for the viscosity, conductivity meter for conductivity, contact angle for the wettability. Further, we select PLA fibers coated with poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and cyclopropylamine (CPA) by plasma polymerization prepared for cell culture and the host is chosen to be 3T3 fibroblasts. The culture was assessed by MTT assays to evaluate the cellular viability in culture media and directly on fibers. Then test the variations of cell cycles for 3T3 cultured on the PLA fibers. It is found that if fibers deposited under higher electric field using higher viscous polymer solution we can avoid the formation of spindles during deposition. Results from cell culture showed that fibers are nontoxic and capable for supporting the growth of 3T3 fibroblasts.