Electrospinning Equipment: Exploration of the application of silk fibroin blends and composites in the new Silk Road, which is a new generation of functional material design

Unique properties and application areas of silk fibroin

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural protein extracted from silkworm cocoons. It has the characteristics of biocompatibility, adjustable water solubility, significant optical transmittance, high mechanical robustness, electrical properties, high thermal stability, light weight and easy processing. These characteristics make silk fibroin have broad application potential in many fields such as biomedicine, electronic devices, energy collection and environmental applications.

Application of electrospinning equipment in silk fibroin materials

Electrospinning equipment can produce high-performance nanofibers with high specific surface area, high porosity and good biocompatibility, which are widely used in tissue engineering, drug delivery and other fields. Combining electrospinning technology with the research of silk fibroin can further improve the performance and application effect of the material:

Preparation of nanofiber structure: Electrospinning can produce uniform continuous fibers with diameters ranging from nanometers to micrometers. These fibers can be used to construct reinforced structures of silk fibroin-based materials and improve their mechanical properties and stability.

Regulating fiber morphology and arrangement: By adjusting the parameters in the electrospinning process (such as spinning solution concentration, viscosity, electric field strength, etc.), the diameter and morphology of the fiber can be precisely controlled, thereby optimizing the performance of the material.

Loading bioactive substances: Electrospinning equipment can prepare nanofiber scaffolds loaded with bioactive molecules, and by controlling the release rate, the sustained action of bioactive substances in the biomedical application site can be achieved.

Combination with other technologies: Electrospinning technology can also be combined with 3D printing technology to achieve the precise construction of complex three-dimensional structures. For example, by installing an electrospinning print head and an extrusion print head at the same time, the printing process of active biological structures can be completed in a single step. This combination can provide more design freedom and higher precision for the preparation of silk fibroin-based materials, and meet the personalized customization of different application requirements.

Summary and Outlook

As a multifunctional natural material, silk fibroin can be processed by electrospinning technology to prepare nanofibers with excellent structure and performance, expanding its application in biomedicine, energy, environment and other fields. Future research can further explore the combination of electrospinning technology with other emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology, smart materials, etc., to achieve more complex and sophisticated structural design and functional regulation. In addition, the electrospinning process parameters and material selection can be optimized to improve the biocompatibility, mechanical properties and functionality of nanofibers, and promote the industrial development of silk fibroin-based materials.

Electrospinning Nanofibers Article Source:

https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202005910