title: Imaging, Spectroscopic, Mechanical and Biocompatibility Studies of Electrospun Tecoflex®EG 80A Nanofibers and Composites Thereof Containing Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes.
abstract: The present study discusses the design, development and characterization of electrospun Tecoflex®EG 80A class of polyurethane nanofibers and the incorporation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to these materials. Scanning electron microscopy results confirmed the presence of polymer nanofibers, which showed a decrease in fiber diameter at 0.5% wt. and 1% wt. MWCNTs loadings, while transmission electron microscopy showed evidence of the MWCNTs embedded within the polymer matrix. The fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to elucidate the polymer-MWCNTs intermolecular interactions, indicating that the C-N and N-H bonds in polyurethanes are responsible for the interactions with MWCNTs. Furthermore, tensile testing indicated an increase in the Young's modulus of the nanofibers as the MWCNTs concentration was increased. Finally, NIH 3T3 fibroblasts were seeded on the obtained nanofibers, demonstrating cell biocompatibility and proliferation. Therefore, the results indicate the successful formation of polyurethane nanofibers with enhanced mechanical properties, and demonstrate their biocompatibility, suggesting their potential application in biomedical areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Macossay
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA ; Nano-Bio Regenerative Medical Institute, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, 200-702, South Korea.
authors.forename: Faheem A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA.
authors.forename: Travis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cantu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Eubanks
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA.
authors.forename: M Esther
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Salinas
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA.
authors.forename: Chakavak S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Farhangi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, South Korea.
authors.forename: M Shamshi
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, South Korea.
authors.forename: Myung-Seob
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khil
authors.affiliation: Regional Academic Health Center-Edinburg (E-RAHC), Medical Research Division, 1214 W. Schunior St, Edinburg, TX 78541 ; Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, 15355 Lambda Dr. San Antonio, TX 78245.
authors.forename: Shivani K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Maffi
authors.affiliation: Energy and Environment Fusion Technology Center, Department of Energy and Biotechnology, Myongji University, Yongin, Kyonggi-do 449-728, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hern
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA USA.
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Bowlin
keywords: Electrospinning; Fibroblasts; Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes; Nanofibers; Nanotechnology; Tissue engineering