Application of electrospun natural biopolymer nanofibers

Abstract

As the masterpiece of polymer science, biopolymers are among new and exciting areas of research. Apart from their unique physical and chemical properties which make them suitable for different applications, they are widely known as biocompatible, biodegradable and usually nontoxic polymers. Innovating biopolymer products by employing novel production processes such as electrospin-ning, which is an efficient method to produce nanoassemblies, incites tremendous attention in environmental scopes, industries and novel medicine. Particular properties of nanofibers and nanoweb like the nanometric size of the constructing elements, high specific volume and high porosity, endow these products with great potential for medical applications such as drug delivery systems, tissue engineering and medical equipments and clothing. Growing need for materials suitable for sustainable development and improved healthcare is motivating scientists and engineers worldwide to investigate biopolymers. Success in this direction would hinge on our ability to tailor properties of biopolymers and find cost effective processing methods. Electrospun nanofibers have found extraordinary progress due to their advanced functions. The most important advantage of nanofibers is their fine nanoscale structure which provides a large surface area and ease of functionalization for various purposes, superior mechanical properties and ease of process as suggested by many experts in this field. Authors applied a versatile nanofiber production technique known as electrospinning to process a variety of nanoassemblies from biocompatible, biodegradable and nontoxic natural biopolymers. These nanofibers and nanowebs with tailored physical, chemical, biological and mechanical properties are attractive for design of ecologically friendly products in a range of applications from personal care to healthcare such as hospital apparel, drug delivery systems, and scaffolds for tissue engineering and tissue regeneration. © 2013 Bentham Science Publishers.