Electro-spun PLA-PEG-yarns for tissue engineering applications

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Electro-spinning is a key technique for creating micro- to nanoscale fibers for tissue engineering, typically in non-woven mats.
• Developing electro-spun yarns integrates the benefits of nanoscale fibers with the properties of traditional 3D textile fabrics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a process for creating electro-spun yarns using polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG).
• To analyze the morphological, mechanical, and cytocompatibility properties of the developed PLA/PEG electro-spun yarns.

Main Methods:

• Electro-spinning of PLA and PEG solutions with varying ratios (100:0, 90:10, 75:25, 50:50) in chloroform.
• Characterization of yarn morphology, tensile strength, and water uptake.
• Assessment of cytocompatibility using endothelial cells.

Main Results:

• Yarn diameter decreased with increased funnel collector rotation, but fiber diameter remained unaffected.
• Tensile strength increased with higher PEG content, reaching 6.2±0.5 cN/tex for PLA 75%/PEG 25% compared to 2.5±0.7 cN/tex for 100% PLA.
• Viscosity of spinning solutions was influenced by PEG content.
• PLA/PEG yarns (90:10 and 75:25) exhibited good cytocompatibility with endothelial cells.

Conclusions:

• A viable process for producing electro-spun yarns from PLA/PEG blends was implemented.
• The PEG content significantly impacts the mechanical properties and viscosity of the electro-spun yarns.
• The developed yarns are cytocompatible, indicating potential for biomedical and textile applications.