Designed PCL Nanofibers Fabricated Using a Modified Electrohydrodynamic Process for Tissue Engineering

Abstract

An ideal scaffold should have good mechanical properties and provide a biologically functional implant site. Considering their large surface area, high porosity, and good interconnectivity of pores, electrospun micro-∕nanofibers have good potential as biomimic scaffolds. In this study, various poly(ε-carprolactone) webs consisting of uniaxially oriented micro-∕nanofibers were produced using an electrohydrodynamic process (electrospinning) with a conical electrode and two-axis collector. The oriented fibrous web showed mechanical orthotropic properties, which might be important for designing engineering scaffolds that mimic natural tissues, such as a blood vessel or ligament, which have orthotropic mechanical properties. In addition, the fabricated mats, which were electrospun using computer-assisted design, had good hydrophilic and good cellular behavior compared to a random fiber mat.