Low-Voltage Continuous Electrospinning: A Versatile Protocol for Patterning Nano- and Micro-Scaled Fibers for Cell...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Nano- and micro-scaled fibers are crucial in biofabrication and tissue culture.
• They mimic extracellular matrix topography and adhesion sites.
• These fibers can support localized drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel low-voltage electrospinning patterning (LEP) protocol.
• To enable direct and continuous patterning of sub-micron fibers.
• To demonstrate the versatility of LEP across different polymer types and substrates.

Main Methods:

• Developed a low-voltage electrospinning patterning (LEP) protocol.
• Utilized voltages as low as 50 V for fiber fabrication.
• Tested a range of processable polymers, including gelatin and polystyrene.
• Employed flexible selections of collecting substrates.

Main Results:

• Achieved direct and continuous patterning of sub-micron fibers.
• Demonstrated successful fiber fabrication from both protein and thermoplastic polymers.
• Showcased the ability to use various collecting substrates.
• Confirmed the low-voltage requirement (as low as 50 V) for the process.

Conclusions:

• LEP is an effective and controlled method for fabricating sub-micron fibers.
• The low-voltage requirement reduces costs and enables mild processing.
• This technique is suitable for diverse biofabrication and tissue engineering applications.