Fabrication of electrospun core-shell structure containing alginate sulfate

Cartilage tissue exhibits limited regenerative capacity due to its avascular nature, making scaffold-based engineering a promising approach for repair. In this study, core-shell nanofibrous scaffolds composed of PCL cores and PVA/AlgS shells were fabricated via emulsion electrospinning and characterized for morphological, structural, surface, and mechanical properties. TEM analysis confirmed a well-defined core-shell architecture with a core diameter of ۲۶۰ nm and a shell thickness of ۱۵ nm, while SEM images demonstrated smooth, uniform, and bead-free fibers with a mean diameter of ۳۱۸ nm for the optimized PVA-AlgS/PCL (۱۳%) polymer solution, compared to ۲۵۷ nm for PVA-AlgS/PCL (۱۶%). Contact angle measurements indicated that both the ۱۳% (۳۳°) and ۱۶% (۳۸°) nanofibers were hydrophilic, reflecting enhanced wettability and providing favorable conditions for protein adsorption and cell adhesion. Mechanical testing showed that the ۱۳% scaffold exhibited a tensile modulus of ۱۸ MPa, tensile strength of ۰.۶ MPa, and elongation at break of ۱.۰۷, while the ۱۶% scaffold had a higher modulus of ۲۳ MPa but lower tensile strength (۰.۵ MPa) and higher elongation (۲.۶), indicating that the ۱۳% formulation provides a more balanced combination of strength and compliance. The combined results indicate that the ۱۳% core-shell scaffold offers structural integrity, uniform morphology, favorable surface properties, and optimal mechanical performance, making it suitable for cartilage tissue engineering and potential future-controlled drug-delivery applications.

کلیدواژه ها:

Core-shell nanofibers ، Emulsion electrospinning ، PCL ، PVA-AlgS ، Sulfated alginate ، Tissue engineering ، Drug delivery