Fast responsive and morphologically robust thermo-responsive hydrogel nanofibres from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and POSS crosslinker

Abstract

Stable thermo-responsive hydrogel nanofibres have been prepared by electrospinning of commercial poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) in the presence of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) possessing eight epoxide groups and of an organic-base catalyst, followed by a heat curing treatment. The nanofibres showed excellent hydrogel characteristics with fast swelling and de-swelling responses triggered by temperature changes. They were also morphologically robust as their physical integrity was preserved upon repeated hydration/dehydration cycles and exposure to solvents.

Facile fabrication of novel pH-sensitive poly(aspartic acid) hydrogel by crosslinking nanofibers

“…Electrospun nanofibrous mat with high porosity and adequate interconnecting pores can render water to access the whole matrix of hydrogel rapidly. Moreover, the small diameter of nanofibers also increases the mass exchanges inside the fibers to achieve fast response when external environment varies [13]. Nevertheless, it has never been reported that hydrogel is manufactured by electrospinning using PASP.…”

Temperature-responsive electrospun nanofibers for ‘on–off’ switchable release of dextran

“…The PNH 5 and PNH 10 NFs responded quickly to changes in temperature, and their swelling ratio recovered within each cycle. In general, the application of bulk materials such as hydrogels is limited by their slow response, and several techniques have been proposed to increase the rate of response, such as reducing the gel size and constructing an interconnected pore structure within the gel [53]. Because of the high specific surface area of NFs, they are more sensitive to external stimuli than the corresponding bulk materials.…”

Core-Sheath Nanofibers as Drug Delivery System for Thermoresponsive Controlled Release

“…Thus, for aiding the spinning process and enhancing the quality of the fibers, researchers have attempted to produce blends of PNIPAAm with other polymers, or coaxial nanofibers with PNIPAAm as core and other polymers as sheath. [26][27] Previous reports showed that PNIPAAm and poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) mixture with tunable surface morphologies can be increased by spinning from N-N-dimethylformamide (DMF). [28] Ethyl cellulose (EC) is a kind of polysaccharides with a good film-forming ability, hydrophobicity and biocompatibility.…”