Imparting superhydrophobicity to biodegradable poly(lactide-co-glycolide) electrospun meshes

The synthesis of a family of new poly(lactic acid-co-glycerol monostearate) (PLA-PGC18) copolymers and their use as biodegradable polymer dopants is reported to enhance the hydrophobicity of poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nonwoven meshes. Solutions of PLGA are doped with PLA-PGC18 and electrospun to form meshes with micrometer-sized fibers. Fiber diameter, percent doping, and copolymer composition influence the nonwetting nature of the meshes and alter their mechanical (tensile) properties. Contact angles as high as 160° are obtained with 30% polymer dopant. Lastly, these meshes are nontoxic, as determined by an NIH/3T3 cell biocompatibility assay, and displayed a minimal foreign body response when implanted in mice. In summary, a general method for constructing biodegradable fibrous meshes with tunable hydrophobicity is described for use in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications.