Thermal and Mechanical Responded PLGA Based Electrospun Fibers as Implants

With highly stretched chain configuration, slight functionalization of electrospun membranes could end up with specific responses, including ECM simulation, controlled drug release, shape conformation, selective cellular biology or bioactivity. Detailed investigation on PLGA fibrous membrane has been carried out for years in our group, and the entropy relaxation related to polymer component, molecular weight, blending homogeneity and manufacture parameter showed to be the essential reason on the change of sterization stability, aging process, swelling, biocompatibility and degradation properties. Through blending with amphiphilic polymer with lower Tg, lots of thermal and mechanical response behavior of the PLGA fibrous membrane could be induced and controlled. The kinetic process caused by the combination of several entropy relaxation modes became complicated while related temperature is near Tg. Longer wave length relaxation modes did not reach their final states because they became much more slower, and resulted in dispersed stress relaxation. These unique advantages benefit its biomedical application however create new obstacle in industrialization. The insight of understanding the entropy relaxation from a different angle could broaden its application.