Preparation of ultra-porous UPM/PHBV nanofibres using solvent-etching technology and drug-loading efficiency

Abstract

In this study, ultra-porous fibres have been produced by partly washing out poly(3-hydroxybutyrateco-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) from the heat-crosslinked electrospun unsaturated polyester macromonomers/poly(3-hydroxybutyrateco-3-hydroxyvalerate) (UPM/PHBV) fibrous composite using chloroform. Tetracycline hydrochloride has been used as the module drug to test the drug-loading efficiency of porous fibres. Field emission scanning electron microscope images show that the etched UPM/PHBV fibres have lost the original smooth surface. The result demonstrates that the PHBV is successfully washed by chloroform, but most of UPM is remained because of the heat-crosslinking. Furthermore, with the increase of PHBV ratio in composite fibres, the etched fibres show much rougher surface. The drug absorption behavior also varies with the different PHBV ratios.