Title:
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Electrospinning of gelatin
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Nanofibres have potential in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications including
tissue engineering and drug release, which demand specific material properties to
perform the required function without toxic side-effects, and preferably with
minimal adverse ecological impact. Electrospinning is a promising technique for
generating fibres with specific requirements and properties from organic,
replaceable, non-toxic materials.
Aqueous gelatin solution was chosen for its ability to react to changes in
temperature. This work, including development of enhanced temperature control,
demonstrated nanofibres of gelatin electrospun from aqueous solution with
appropriate production conditions, which was previously unreported.
To characterise the effects of the gelation mechanism caused by the partial
reformation of the triple helix with aqueous gelatin solutions, electrospinning was
attempted over a wide range of concentrations and temperatures. The study
included measurements of the surface tension, viscosity and conductivity for the
solutions, Scanning Electron Microscopy for size and form of product, and Wide
Angle X•ray Scattering to ascertain the development of the structures from the
solution to the fibre, determining the presence of the triple helix structure, and
ThermoGravimetric Analysis to determine fibre water content.
To provide comparison and continuity with previous studies, solutions of gelatin
dissolved in glacial acetic acid, and polystyrene dissolved in MEK and DMF was
electrospun and the products characterised in a similar manner to aqueous gelatin.
Polystyrene solutions were chosen as examples of non-gelling solutions, thereby
providing a contrast to the aqueous gelatin solutions.
A potential area for nanofibres is in drug delivery. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) was
considered as an example, but its solubility in water is insufficient to incorporate
into electrospun nanofibres for this purpose. Hence, the soluble salt, sodium
acetylsalicylate, which shares some of the same medicinal properties as aspirin,
was chosen. Nanofibres were electrospun from a solution of gelatin and sodium
acetylsalicylate dissolved in water, but then 'disappeared', presumed to have
dissolved in air moisture. This demonstrated that gelatin nanofibres could be
considered for drug delivery, but further studies would be required to determine
methods to stabilise the fibres.
Gelatin was dissolved in a suspension of cellulose nanofibres derived from carrots
and the resulting liquid was successfully electrospun to produce nanofibres. The
nanofibres did not exhibit the expected properties of the gelatin triple helix
structure.
Attempts to silver coat gelatin nanofibres for medical applications, using Tollens'
reagent showed the fibres must be made less soluble by polymer cross-linking or
otherwise.
A limited study of incorporating gold nanoparticles within the nanofibres to
increase their electrical conductivity was inconclusive as the elemental analysis
equipment was unable to detect the gold.
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