Nanofibrous scaffold from electrospinning biodegradable waterborne polyurethane/poly(vinyl alcohol) for tissue engineering application

Abstract

A series of nanofibrous scaffolds, free of organic solvents, are prepared by electrospinning biodegradable waterborne polyurethane (BWPU) emulsion blending with aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA). Tuning the proration of BWPU to PVA, various nanofibers with diameter from 370 to 964 nm are obtained. Strong intermolecular interaction existing between them benefits to the electrospun of BWPU emulsion, which is demonstrated by dynamic thermomechanical analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The nontoxic nanofibrous scaffolds with porous structure, which is similar to the natural extracellular matrix, favor to the attachment and proliferation of the L929 fibroblasts. Thus, the scaffolds are promising to be used as biomaterials for many natural tissues repair.

Keywords:

• Emulsion electrospinning
• waterborne polyurethane
• nanofiberous scaffold
• tissue repair