Melt Electrospinning Writing of PLGA for Tissue Engineering Applications

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Paul Dalton
• Subject Area: Biomaterials ; Polymer Materials
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 322483321

This project is focused on the additive manufacturing of well-resolved, defined scaffolds using a clinically successful medical polymer, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). An emerging polymer processing technique, melt electrospinning writing (MEW), will be used to fabricate scaffolds that are built of ultra-fine fibers of 5 to 15µm diameter and can be used in tissue engineering applications where a flexible and soft material is required. Currently poly(caprolactone) is the gold standard polymer for MEW, however long degradation periods associated with this polymer is often undesired. A key issue addressed is the low-flow rate delivery of PLGA within the MEW printer, while avoiding excessive thermal degradation. We solve this by making a hybrid filament/pressure driven electrospinning head that the melt is delivered to the nozzle with only a brief period in the molten state. The effect of processing on the polymer composition, scaffold properties, hydrolytic degradation and in vitro performance will be investigated.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants