Nanovascularization of Polymer Matrix: Generation of Nanochannels and Nanotubes by Sacrificial Electrospun fibers

Abstract

Several methods for creating vascular structures, made of either discrete or interconnected channels have been developed. The currently employed methods enable the formation of channels with diameters in the millimetric and micrometric scale. However, the formation of an interconnected three-dimensional (3D) vasculature by using a rapid and scalable process is a challenge and largely limits the fields of applicability of these innovative materials. Here, we propose the use of electrospun nonwoven mats as sacrificial fibers to easily generate 3D macroscale vascularized composites containing interconnected networks with channels and tubes having submicrometric and nanometric diameters. The novel approach has the potentialities to give rise to a novel generation of composites potentially displaying new and enhanced functionalities thanks to the nanoscale features of the cavities.

Self-healing composites: A review

“…Electrospinning can be used to produce similar sacrificial fibres. Gualandi, Zucchelli, Osorio, Belcari, and Focarete (2013) used pullulan as the fibre material and integrated the fibres with diameters as small as 3 µm inside an epoxy matrix. Afterwards, the pullulan degraded when heated up to 250°C.…”

“…In addition, electrospinning has the potential to build core-shell structures directly as a vascular network, skipping the sacrificial fibre degradation process and healing agent injection steps. This method was proposed by Gualandi et al (2013) and developed by Wu et al (2013). The DCPD healing agent was contained directly inside polyacrylonitrile shells during electrospinning.…”

Microvascular-based self-healing materials

“…Spinning of random sacrificial fiber networks has been demonstrated using melt spinning [81,82] and electrospinning [83] techniques. Melt spinning of sucrose [82] and shellac [81] rapidly produces a dense network of randomly oriented fibers with diameters ranging from 1 to 100 mm and that could be interfaced with millimeter-diameter macrofibers.…”

“…Shellac fiber networks were infiltrated with enzymatically cross-linked gelatin, after which the pH-sensitive shellac was removed by dissolution within a basic ammonia bath. Randomly oriented and partially aligned fiber networks have been constructed by electrospinning Pullulan, a polysaccharide [83]. Electrospinning is capable of drawing nanoscale fibers, thereby accessing channel dimensions inaccessible to other techniques.…”

Creation of a nanovascular network by electrospun sacrificial nanofibers for self-healing applications and its effect on the flexural properties of the bulk material

“…As such, electrospinning was introduced for creating nanofluidic channels in a polymeric matrix [6]. Some first studies on sacrificial polyethylene oxide as well as sugar structures, such as pullulan, have been shown to allow the creation of a nanovascular network in a polydimethylsiloxane matrix as well as an epoxy matrix [6][7][8].…”