Highly Hydrophobic Electrospun Fiber Mats From Polyisobutylene-based Thermoplastic Elastomers

Highly Hydrophobic Electrospun Fiber Mats From Polyisobutylene-based Thermoplastic Elastomers

Lim G T; Puskas J E; Reneker D H; Jakli A; Horton W E

Biomacromolecules

2011

2011-05

This paper is the first report of electrospinning neat polyisobutylene-based thermoplastic elastomers. Two generations of these materials are investigated: a linear poly(styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene) (LSIBS) triblock copolymer and a dendritic poly(isobutylene-b-p-methylstyrene) (DIB-MS), also a candidate for biomedical applications. Cross-polarized optical microscopy shows birefringence, indicating orientation in the electrospun fibers, which undergo large elongation and shear during electrospinning. In contrast to the circular cross section of LSIBS fibers, DIB-MS yields dumbbell-shaped fiber cross sections for the combination of processing conditions, molecular weight, and architecture. Hydrophobic surfaces with a water contact angle as high as 146 +/- 30 degrees were obtained with DIB-MS that had the noncircular fiber cross section and a hierarchical arrangement of nano- to micrometer-sized fibers in the mat. These highly water repellent fiber mats were found to serve as an excellent scaffold for bovine chondrocytes to produce cartilage tissue.

arborescent; architecture; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; block-copolymers; Chemistry; coatings; drug-eluting stent; nanofibers; Polymer Science; surfaces

Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication

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1795-1799

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