Production and properties of electrospun webs for therapeutic applications

The electro spinning and properties of fibrous webs containing drugs, biomolecules and other potentially therapeutic compounds was studied. Two different technologies were investigated. The first dealt with incorporation and release of compounds including drugs using insoluble electrospun fibres comprised of cellulose acetate. A systematic parameter study was completed for producing electro spun cellulose acetate fibres that were substantially free of bead defects and the effect of different solvent systems and process parameters during electrospinning cellulose acetate were evaluated in respect of mean fibre diameter. A ternary solvent system consisting of AcetonelDimethylacetamide (DMAc) /Methanol (2:1:2) enabled a variety of molecules including L-Tryptophan. Ibuprofen, Nicotine and creatinine to be introduced in to cellulose acetate electrospinning solutions and converted in to fibres. The molecular diffusion kinetics in water of the as-spun electrospun fibres was studied. Using the same electrospinning production platform and solvent system, the research was then extended to investigate the feasibility of a second technology. The molecular imprinting of Cellulose Acetate electrospun fibres was investigated using the metabolite, creatinine as the template molecule. The study was extended to explore the feasibility of molecular-imprinting polysulphone electrospun fibres using the same template molecule. To facilitate this, a new solvent system was developed for electrospinning polysulphone that enabled low temperature solvation of the polymer. Both of technology platforms (molecular loading and molecular-imprinting of electrospun fibres) were relevant to the design of improved therapeutic products for applications in healthcare.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo