Electrospun fiber mats from poly(alloocimene-b-isobutylene-b-alloocimene) thermoplastic elastomer

Abstract

A new polyisobutylene-based thermoplastic elastomer, poly(alloocimene-b-isobutylene-ballooci-mene triblock copolymer was synthesized by carbocationic polymerization, then electrospun intofree-standing rubbery fiber mats by adding 20 wt%. poly(ethylene glycol) to the solution. AlthoughAIBA is a highly hydrophobic material that is non-polar and therefore has high electric resistivity,fiber mats were still successfully obtained. We found that poly(ethylene glycol) was fully embeddedinto the electrospun fibers. The tensile strength measured on microdumbbells was 2.7 MPa at 537%elongation that is comparable to that of soft human tissues. These rubbery fiber mats were foundto be hydrophobic and cell culture studies showed their non-cytotoxicity. Based on these favorableproperties, these fiber mats show a great promise for tissue scaffold and drug delivery applications.

Polyisobutylene—New Opportunities for Medical Applications

“…In line with earlier studies, no Zn was found on the surface by XPS. One unique property of PIB-based TPEs is very low surface energy, so PIB automatically segregates to the surface, encapsulating particles in the solvent mixture without the need for coaxial spinning [ 20 , 21 ]. Thus, the ZnO particles seem to be visible in Figure 2 a,d are coated by a thin (~10 nm) layer of PIB.…”

“…Later, we reported conditions under which neat L_SIBS and Arbomatrix© were electrospun onto aluminum stubs and used as a scaffold to grow tissue from chondrocytes [ 19 ]. Subsequently, a new method that produced self-supporting fiber mats by electrospinning from mixtures of Arbomatrix© and Allomatrix© and low-molecular-weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was developed [ 20 , 21 ]. The ratio of TPE to PEG was chosen to be 80/20 w / w % based on scouting experiments.…”

Advances of polyolefins from fiber to nanofiber: fabrication and recent applications

“…This rubbery fiberous mat has 2.7 MPa tensile strength at 537% elongation, is hydrophobic, and also cytocompatible in cell culture [ 153 ]. Following that, a novel approach has been devised to generate self-supporting fiber mats through the electrospinning process utilizing low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) in combination with Arbomatrix© and Allomatrix© [ 154 , 155 ]. Moreover, the ZAF-loaded Arbomatrix©/PEG microfiber, which has a diameter of 4.197 ± 0.580 µm, was produced via electrospinning [ 154 ].…”

In Vivo Release of Zafirlukast from Electrospun Polyisobutylene-Based Fiber Mats to Reduce Capsular Contracture of Silicone Breast Prostheses

“…Solutions of arb_SIBS/PEG 80/20 wt/wt at a concentration of 12.5 wt % in a THF/toluene 95/5 (w/w) were electrospun and produced mats with no beading and dumbbell-shaped fibers between 5 and 7 μm. 20 Following this success, solutions of arb_SIBS were loaded with 10 wt % ZAF and electrospun. 8 Spinning the polymer solution mixed with ZAF resulted in complete encapsulation of ZAF into the fibers without the need of coaxial spinning, confirmed with XPS and SEM.…”

“…ZAF-loaded arb_SIBS fiber mats also exhibited the dumbbell-like cross-section previously seen by Jindal et al and resembled the unloaded mats. 8,20,24 This study went on to study drug release, and in vitro analysis showed approximately 92% or 509 μg of bioactive ZAF was released over 21 days and was not cytotoxic. 8 Release profiles followed a classical Fickian diffusion model.…”