Preparation of porous poly (lactic acid) fibers by medium field electrospinning for tissue engineering applications

Abstract Electrospun fibers find a number of biomedical applications, like scaffolds for tissue engineering, as polymer nanofiber mats can mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the body. In this research, non-woven mats composed of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) fibers were obtained by low voltage (6 kV) electrospinning of PLLA/chloroform (CL)/sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) solution. Tests were performed in two different collector/capillary distances and the produced fibers were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and cell viability. The results show the formation of three dimensional mats composed of porous fibers created by the addition of small amounts of aqueous solution of SLES surfactant; a higher crystallinity degree for longer collector/capillary electrospun distance and positive cell proliferation.