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Membranes
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Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications
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Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Membranes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2018) | Viewed by 37351

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Leonard Tijing

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
2. ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
Interests: membrane technology; desalination; solar water evaporation; membrane distillation; resource recovery; electrospinning; nanofibers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The unique and interesting features of electrospun nanofiber membranes have opened a vast number of applications in many fields. Since re-igniting the research interest on electrospinning as the main method to produce nanofibers in the 1990s, different variants in electrospinning approaches, configuration, nanofiber membrane design and functionality, modification strategies, and even upscaling technologies have been investigated.  Interest in nanofiber membranes is still gaining increased traction among the research community and industry, and with the continuing advancements in nanotechnology, characterization techniques, and new materials, nanofiber membranes will likely play a large role in many areas in the future.

This Special Issue is geared towards providing the latest advances in the fabrication, modification, and application of nanofiber membranes fabricated by electrospinning. The scope of this issue includes, but is not limited to, new approaches in the fabrication and synthesis of nanofiber membrane, novel nanofiber membrane materials (polymeric, ceramic, mixed matrix) and modification techniques, nanocomposite and multi-functional membranes, upscaling of electrospinning technology, nanofiber membranes for water and wastewater treatment, desalination, resource recovery, pollutant remediation, oil–water separation, air pollution and filtration, gas separation, biomedical and tissue engineering, drug delivery, energy production and energy-related devices, and other emerging applications.

Authors are welcome to submit original research papers, communications, and review articles. Looking forward to your outstanding contribution for this Special Issue.

Dr. Leonard D. Tijing
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • electrospinning
  • membrane fabrication
  • nanofiber
  • membrane separation
  • water/air treatment
  • desalination
  • membrane modification
  • nanocomposite
  • environmental remediation
  • biomedical
  • energy
  • resource recovery

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 5105 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Polycaprolactone Fibrous Membranes Containing Ag, TiO2 and Na2Ti6O13 Particles for Potential Use in Bone Regeneration
by Erick Ramírez-Cedillo, Wendy Ortega-Lara, María R. Rocha-Pizaña, Janet A. Gutierrez-Uribe, Alex Elías-Zúñiga and Ciro A. Rodríguez
Membranes 2019, 9(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes9010012 - 10 Jan 2019
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4437
Abstract
Biocompatible and biodegradable membrane treatments for regeneration of bone are nowadays a promising solution in the medical field. Bioresorbable polymers are extensively used in membrane elaboration, where polycaprolactone (PCL) is used as base polymer. The goal of this work was to improve electrospun [...] Read more.
Biocompatible and biodegradable membrane treatments for regeneration of bone are nowadays a promising solution in the medical field. Bioresorbable polymers are extensively used in membrane elaboration, where polycaprolactone (PCL) is used as base polymer. The goal of this work was to improve electrospun membranes’ biocompatibility and antibacterial properties by adding micro- and nanoparticles such as Ag, TiO2 and Na2Ti6O13. Micro/nanofiber morphologies of the obtained membranes were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and a tensile test. Also, for this study optical microscopy was used to observe DAPI-stained cells. Membranes of the different systems were electrospun to an average diameter of 1.02–1.76 μm. To evaluate the biological properties, cell viability was studied by growing NIH/3T3 cells on the microfibers. PCL/TiO2 strength was enhanced from 0.6 MPa to 6.3 MPa in comparison with PCL without particles. Antibacterial activity was observed in PCL/TiO2 and PCL/Na2Ti6O13 electrospun membranes using Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Bioactivity of the membranes was confirmed with simulated body fluid (SBF) treatment. From this study, the ceramic particles TiO2 and Na2Ti6O13, combined with a PCL matrix with micro/nanoparticles, enhanced cell proliferation, adhesion and antibacterial properties. The electrospun composite with Na2Ti6O13 can be considered viable for tissue regenerative processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications)
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15 pages, 4239 KiB  
Article
Modification of Nanofiber Support Layer for Thin Film Composite Forward Osmosis Membranes via Layer-by-Layer Polyelectrolyte Deposition
by Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Myoung Jun Park, Leonard Tijing, Dong Suk Han, Sherub Phuntsho and Ho Kyong Shon
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030070 - 25 Aug 2018
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 6231
Abstract
Electrospun nanofiber-supported thin film composite membranes are among the most promising membranes for seawater desalination via forward osmosis. In this study, a high-performance electrospun polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) nanofiber-supported thin film composite (TFC) membrane was successfully fabricated after molecular layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition. Negatively-charged electrospun polyacrylic [...] Read more.
Electrospun nanofiber-supported thin film composite membranes are among the most promising membranes for seawater desalination via forward osmosis. In this study, a high-performance electrospun polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) nanofiber-supported thin film composite (TFC) membrane was successfully fabricated after molecular layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition. Negatively-charged electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA) nanofibers were deposited on electrospun PVDF nanofibers to form a support layer consisted of PVDF and PAA nanofibers. This resulted to a more hydrophilic support compared to the plain PVDF nanofiber support. The PVDF-PAA nanofiber support then underwent a layer-by-layer deposition of polyethylenimine (PEI) and PAA to form a polyelectrolyte layer on the nanofiber surface prior to interfacial polymerization, which forms the selective polyamide layer of TFC membranes. The resultant PVDF-LbL TFC membrane exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and porosity, without sacrificing mechanical strength. As a result, it showed high pure water permeability and low structural parameter values of 4.12 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and 221 µm, respectively, significantly better compared to commercial FO membrane. Layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte is therefore a useful and practical modification method for fabrication of high performance nanofiber-supported TFC membrane. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications)
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10 pages, 1857 KiB  
Article
Texas Sour Orange Juice Used in Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering
by Mandana Akia, Nataly Salinas, Cristobal Rodriguez, Robert Gilkerson, Luis Materon and Karen Lozano
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030038 - 04 Jul 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3569
Abstract
Fine fibers of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biopolymer, were developed via a centrifugal spinning technique. The developed fibers have an average diameter of 1.8 µm. Texas sour orange juice (SOJ) was applied as a natural antibacterial agent and infiltrated within the fibrous membranes. The [...] Read more.
Fine fibers of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biopolymer, were developed via a centrifugal spinning technique. The developed fibers have an average diameter of 1.8 µm. Texas sour orange juice (SOJ) was applied as a natural antibacterial agent and infiltrated within the fibrous membranes. The antibacterial activity against common Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively) was evaluated as well as cell adhesion and viability. The PHB/SOJ scaffolds showed antibacterial activity of up to 152% and 71% against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. The cell studies revealed a suitable environment for cell growth and cell attachment. The outcome of this study opens up new opportunities for fabrication of fibrous materials for biomedical applications having multifunctional properties while using natural agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications)
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Review

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24 pages, 3082 KiB  
Review
A Review on Properties of Natural and Synthetic Based Electrospun Fibrous Materials for Bone Tissue Engineering
by Deval Prasad Bhattarai, Ludwig Erik Aguilar, Chan Hee Park and Cheol Sang Kim
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030062 - 14 Aug 2018
Cited by 191 | Viewed by 11304
Abstract
Bone tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field where the principles of engineering are applied on bone-related biochemical reactions. Scaffolds, cells, growth factors, and their interrelation in microenvironment are the major concerns in bone tissue engineering. Among many alternatives, electrospinning is a promising and [...] Read more.
Bone tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field where the principles of engineering are applied on bone-related biochemical reactions. Scaffolds, cells, growth factors, and their interrelation in microenvironment are the major concerns in bone tissue engineering. Among many alternatives, electrospinning is a promising and versatile technique that is used to fabricate polymer fibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Copolymerization and polymer blending is a promising strategic way in purpose of getting synergistic and additive effect achieved from either polymer. In this review, we summarize the basic chemistry of bone, principle of electrospinning, and polymers that are used in bone tissue engineering. Particular attention will be given on biomechanical properties and biological activities of these electrospun fibers. This review will cover the fundamental basis of cell adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation of the electrospun fibers in bone tissue scaffolds. In the last section, we offer the current development and future perspectives on the use of electrospun mats in bone tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications)
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26 pages, 4129 KiB  
Review
Electrospun Fibrous Scaffolds for Small-Diameter Blood Vessels: A Review
by Nasser K. Awad, Haitao Niu, Usman Ali, Yosry S. Morsi and Tong Lin
Membranes 2018, 8(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8010015 - 06 Mar 2018
Cited by 94 | Viewed by 10852
Abstract
Small-diameter blood vessels (SDBVs) are still a challenging task to prepare due to the occurrence of thrombosis formation, intimal hyperplasia, and aneurysmal dilation. Electrospinning technique, as a promising tissue engineering approach, can fabricate polymer fibrous scaffolds that satisfy requirements on the construction of [...] Read more.
Small-diameter blood vessels (SDBVs) are still a challenging task to prepare due to the occurrence of thrombosis formation, intimal hyperplasia, and aneurysmal dilation. Electrospinning technique, as a promising tissue engineering approach, can fabricate polymer fibrous scaffolds that satisfy requirements on the construction of extracellular matrix (ECM) of native blood vessel and promote the adhesion, proliferation, and growth of cells. In this review, we summarize the polymers that are deployed for the fabrication of SDBVs and classify them into three categories, synthetic polymers, natural polymers, and hybrid polymers. Furthermore, the biomechanical properties and the biological activities of the electrospun SBVs including anti-thrombogenic ability and cell response are discussed. Polymer blends seem to be a strategic way to fabricate SDBVs because it combines both suitable biomechanical properties coming from synthetic polymers and favorable sites to cell attachment coming from natural polymers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications)
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