CO2 Assisted Impregnation of Electrospun Polymer Blends for Biomedical Applications

Honors Research DistinctionNanoscale polymer composites have revolutionized regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications. The key challenge is to make scaffolds that mimic the extra-cellular matrix. In this study we wish to analyze the efficacy of blends of polymers that provide both structural and biological compatibility for the above applications. Polycaprolactone(PCL)-Gelatin scaffolds have proven to be successful for the purpose of Supercritical CO2 infusion, which is a “green” and benign alternative to organic solvent processing. We hypothesize that incorporation of Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) to the scaffold allows alteration of mechanical properties and degradation rate. Using electrospinning we have developed nanoscale scaffolds from various blends of PMMA, PCL and Gelatin. Characterization of these blends was done using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and mechanical testing. The blends were infused with Rhodamine – B dye using supercritical and subcritical carbon dioxide for controlled release applications. Mechanical testing indicates that pure PMMA and Gelatin scaffolds were brittle as compared to PMMA-PCL-Gel tri-blends. The ultimate tensile strength increased significantly with incorporation of PCL. XRD reveals amorphous nature in all scaffolds except the PCL doped tri-blend. This indicates that the PCL phase is being constrained by the PMMA and Gelatin phases. DSC shows similar results with no distinct melting point of PCL detected. This indicates an amorphous nature of the blend and is advantageous for infusion applications. In the initial release study the tri-blend scaffolds show extended release and higher dye loading for both subcritical and supercritical infusion conditions. This study will optimize the blend composition of biocompatible polymers for diverse tissue engineering applications like wound healing, bone regeneration and drug delivery devices.College of Engineering, The Ohio State UniversityNo embargoAcademic Major: Chemical Engineerin