Effect of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma treatment on poly-L-lactic acid electrospinnability: Investigating the roles of plasma source and voltage waveform

摘要

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, which is soluble in organic solvents, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and dimethylformamide (DMF). The latter is usually added to DCM in appropriate amount in order to increase the dielectric constant of the solution, thus ensuring a better electrospinnability. However, the boiling temperature of DMF is around 153°C (much higher than that of DCM which is about 40°C), and it is therefore difficult to completely avoid traces of residual DMF in the scaffold after the electrospinning process. Electrospun nonwoven mats, composed by nanofibers of high surface area, are suitable substrates for cell growth, therefore the possibility to produce solvent-free scaffolds for biomedical applications is a great chance to increase material compatibility.