| Title: | Wpływ wybranych metod fragmentacji sonopokrywanych nanocząstkami włókien elektroprzędzonych na ich właściwości fizyko-chemiczne i cytokompatybilność |
| Project leader: | Julia Higuchi |
| Laboratory: | Laboratory of Nanostructures (NL-4) |
| Call/Programme name: | MINIATURA |
| Project number: | 2024/08/X/ST5/01506 |
| Implementation date: | 09.12.2024 08.12.2025 |
| Implementing entity: | Institute of High Pressure Physics |
| Implementation type: | Projekt realizowany samodzielnie |
| Total funding granted: | 49 500 zł |
| Funding for the entity: | 49 500 zł |
| Funding institution: | National Science Center |
Project description
| The scientific interests of the project author focus on ultrasonic coating of material surfaces with nanoparticles, particularly electrospun fiber membranes. Ultrasonic coating – sonocoating, patented by the project author and collaborators from the Nanostructures Laboratory at IWC PAS, is a non-destructive and globally unique method for modifying materials by depositing nanoparticle layers. Creating a nanometric layer on electrospun fibers significantly alters their properties, leading to: Developed nanotopography Increased biocompatibility and wettability Stimulation of cell growth and de novo bone tissue growth in animal models Conferring antimicrobial properties Stimulation of angiogenesis in ex ovo models Additionally, the uniform layer formed on the fibers is resistant to material bending. However, one limitation in the application of ultrasonically coated electrospun nonwovens is their flat form, resulting from the deposition of fibers on top of each other on a grounded collector. Therefore, it is desirable to obtain a more functional form of fibers, i.e., fragmented short structures that can be used as a three-dimensional material. Unlike long continuous fibers, short fibers expand the potential application area. Due to fewer entanglements, short fibers are much easier to process and manipulate. They can be used as: An additive to liquid components to create injectable preparations. A reinforcement for mixtures with granular materials, significantly changing their mechanical and piezoelectric properties. Facilitating the formation of pressed composites. One promising way to overcome the limitation of using electrospun membranes is fiber fragmentation. The literature describes various methods for fragmenting electrospun membranes (i.e., sonication, cryomilling, mechanical grinding, laser cutting). However, none of the currently known methods have yet been used to fragment sonocoated electrospun structures, and the impact of fragmentation methods on the structure of such fibers is unknown. Therefore, there is a strong need to analyze the potential of fragmenting such structures down to the micro-fiber level. The aim of this project is to investigate the effect of selected fragmentation methods on the physicochemical properties and cytocompatibility of electrospun fibers sonocoated with nanoparticles. For the selection of the fragmentation method, electrospun membranes made of poly-L-lactide (PLLA) fibers, well-known and described in the literature, with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle coating produced at IWC PAS, will be used. These fibers possess unique properties such as: High surface-to-volume ratio Tunable porosity Biodegradability Good mechanical strength Both PLLA and ZnO also possess a crucial property from the perspective of biomedical applications – they exhibit piezoelectricity (generating electrical potentials under mechanical stress). It is worth emphasizing that this fiber composition is novel and has not yet been obtained using the sonocoating method. To investigate the effect of fragmentation on material properties, methods such as sonication, cooling the material in liquid nitrogen with simultaneous mechanical fragmentation, cryomilling, and combinations of the aforementioned methods will be utilized. Physicochemical studies will focus on: Imaging of fibers using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Determining phase changes before and after the grinding process using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The final stage will involve the evaluation of enzymatic biodegradation (against collagenase I and proteinase K solutions) of biomaterials and the assessment of their in vitro cytocompatibility against human osteoblasts – hFOB 1.19 cell line, ATCC (assessment of viability and proliferation over time). In summary, the planned comprehensive basic research will significantly expand knowledge on the production of short biodegradable fibers coated with nanoparticles, making them potentially applicable as a component of future composites. |