Submit to Nanomaterials Review for Nanomaterials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Hybrid Nanofibers: Fabrication, Properties and Applications

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 15752

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Amir Fahmi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Rhein Waal Univ Appl Sci, Fac Technol & Bion, Marie Curie Str 1, D-47533 Kleve, Germany
Interests: fabrication and characterisation of nanostructured hybrid materials at different dimensions and length scales; self-assembly and electrospinning; nanostructured hybrid (bio)materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Entering a new era of miniaturized devices has required innovative structured multifunctional hybrid nanomaterials. In particular, hybrid nanofibers have received significant attention from both academia and industry due to their unique collective physical properties. Hybrid nanofibers are novel types of structured functional nanomaterials that possess a large surface area with well-defined compositions of controlled size and morphologies. These materials exhibit unique optical, electronic, magnetic and optoelectronic properties essential for a tremendous numbers of applications in the fields of optics, catalysis, energy, environment, nanomedicine, and biotechnology.

This Special Issue aims to cover the state-of-the-art in the fields of structured hybrid nanomaterials and focus on the fabrication and characterization of hybrid nanofibers towards designs with unique collective properties. This, in turn, facilitates multifunctional advanced nanocompartments to be utilized for the next generation of miniaturized devices. The proposed Special Issue is inviting original articles in form of communications, full papers, and reviews demonstrating the progress in the research fields of unidirectional structured hybrid nanomaterials and the prospective development of advanced hybrid nanofibers for a wide range of applications.

Prof. Dr. Amir Fahmi
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. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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

nanofibers
hybrid materials
structured nanomaterials
collective properties
miniaturization
hybrid nanofibers
nanomedicine
environment
catalysis
energy

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 4207 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Glutaraldehyde Vapor Treated PVA/SA/GO/ZnO Electrospun Nanofibers with High Liquid Absorbability for Antimicrobial of Staphylococcus aureus

by Yi-Hsin Chien, Meng-Tzu Ho, Chin-Hsign Feng, Jung-Hsign Yen, Yi-Chan Chang, Chih-Sheng Lai and Rong-Fuh Louh

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(5), 932; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano13050932 - 03 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1775

Abstract

In this study, we aim to develop organic–inorganic hybrid nanofibers containing high moisture retention and good mechanical performance as an antimicrobial dressing platform. The main theme of this work focuses on several technical tasks including (a) the electrospinning process (ESP) to produce organic polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate (PVA/SA) nanofibers with an excellent diameter uniformity and fibrous orientation, (b) the fabrication of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) as graphene oxide (GO) and ZnO NPs to be added to PVA/SA nanofibers for enhancement of the mechanical properties and an antibacterial function to Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and then (c) the crosslinking process for PVA/SA/GO/ZnO hybrid nanofibers in glutaraldehyde (GA) vapor atmosphere to improve the hydrophilicity and moisture absorption of specimens. Our results clearly indicate that the uniformity nanofiber with 7 wt% PVA and 2 wt% SA condition demonstrates 199 ± 22 nm in diameter using an electrospinning precursor solution of 355 cP in viscosity by the ESP process. Moreover, the mechanical strength of nanofibers was enhanced by 17% after the handling of a 0.5 wt% GO nanoparticles addition. Significantly, the morphology and size of ZnO NPs can be affected by NaOH concentration, where 1 M NaOH was used in the synthesis of 23 nm ZnO NPs corresponding to effective inhibition of S. aureus strains. The PVA/SA/GO/ZnO mixture successfully performed an antibacterial ability with an 8 mm inhibition zone in S. aureus strains. Furthermore, the GA vapor as a crosslinking agent acting on PVA/SA/GO/ZnO nanofiber provided both swelling behavior and structural stability performance. The swelling ratio increased up to 1.406%, and the mechanical strength was 1.87 MPa after 48 h of GA vapor treatment. Finally, we successfully synthesized the hybrid nanofibers of GA-treated PVA/SA/GO/ZnO accompanied with high moisturizing, biocompatibility, and great mechanical properties, which will be a novel multi-functional candidate for wound dressing composites for patients receiving surgical operations and first aid treatments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanofibers: Fabrication, Properties and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 4596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of High-Performance Colorimetric Membrane by Incorporation of Polydiacetylene into Polyarylene Ether Nitriles Electrospinning Nanofibrous Membranes

by Pan Wang, Xidi Liu, Yong You, Mengxue Wang, Yumin Huang, Ying Li, Kui Li, Yuxin Yang, Wei Feng, Qiancheng Liu, Jiaqi Chen and Xulin Yang

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(24), 4379; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12244379 - 08 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1060

Abstract

Polyarylene ether nitrile (PEN) is a novel high-performance engineering plastic with various applications, particularly in thermoresistance-required fields. In this study, a well-known stimuli-response polydiacetylene monomer, 10, 12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA), was encapsulated within electrospun PEN nanofibers to fabricate a colorimetric membrane with satisfactory thermal and corrosion resistance. To optimize the compatibility with PCDA, two PENswith distinct molecular chains were utilized: PEN−PPL and PEN−BPA. The chemical structure and elemental mapping analysis revealed that the PCDA component was successfully incorporated into the PEN fibrous. The PCDA bound significantly better to the PEN−PPL than to the PEN−BPA; due to the carboxyl groups present on the side chains of PEN−PPL, the surface was smooth and the color changed uniformly as the temperature rose. However, owing to its poor compatibility with PEN−BPA, the PCDA formed agglomerations on the fibers. The thermal analysis demonstrated that the membranes obtained after PCDA compounding maintained their excellent heat resistance. The 5% weight loss temperatures of composite nanofibrous membranes manufactured by PEN−PPL and PEN−BPA were 402 °C and 506 °C, respectively, and their glass transition temperatures were 219 °C and 169 °C, respectively, indicating that the blended membranes can withstand high temperatures. The evaluation of application performance revealed that the composite membranes exhibited good dimensional stability upon high thermal and corrosive situations. Specifically, the PEN−P−PCDA did not shrink at 170 °C. Both composite membranes were dimensionally stable when exposed to the alkali aqueous solution. However, PEN−P−PCDA is more sensitive to OH⁻, exhibiting color transition at pH > 8, whereas PEN−B−PCDA exhibited color transition at high OH⁻ concentrations (pH ≥ 13), with enhanced alkali resistance stability owing to its nanofibrous architecture. This exploratory study reveals the feasibility of PEN nanofibers functionalized using PCDA as a desirable stimulus-response sensor even in high-temperature and corrosive harsh environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanofibers: Fabrication, Properties and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 12717 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Preparation and Biological Testing of Novel Wound Dressings with an Encapsulated Antibacterial and Antioxidant Substance

by Petr Braťka, Taťána Fenclová, Jana Hlinková, Lenka Uherková, Eva Šebová, Veronika Hefka Blahnová, Věra Hedvičáková, Radmila Žižková, Andrej Litvinec, Tomáš Trč, Jozef Rosina and Eva Filová

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(21), 3824; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12213824 - 29 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1843

Abstract

Chronic wounds represent a significant socio-economic problem, and the improvement of their healing is therefore an essential issue. This paper describes the preparation and biological properties of a novel functionalized nanofiber wound dressing consisting of a polycaprolactone nanofiber carrier modified by a drug delivery system, based on the lipid particles formed by 1-tetradecanol and encapsulated gentamicin and tocopherol acetate. The cytotoxicity of extracts was tested using a metabolic activity assay, and the antibacterial properties of the extracts were tested in vitro on the bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The effect of the wound dressing on chronic wound healing was subsequently tested using a mouse model. Fourteen days after surgery, the groups treated by the examined wound cover showed a lower granulation, reepithelization, and inflammation score compared to both the uninfected groups, a lower dermis organization compared to the control, a higher scar thickness compared to the other groups, and a higher thickness of hypodermis and bacteria score compared to both the uninfected groups. This work demonstrates the basic parameters of the safety (biocompatibility) and performance (effect on healing) of the dressing as a medical device and indicates the feasibility of the concept of its preparation in outpatient conditions using a suitable functionalization device. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanofibers: Fabrication, Properties and Applications)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

27 pages, 10970 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of a Polyester Nanofibrous Membrane with a Fibrin-Platelet Lysate Coating on Keratinocytes and Endothelial Cells in a Co-Culture System

by Andreu Blanquer, Jana Musilkova, Elena Filova, Johanka Taborska, Eduard Brynda, Tomas Riedel, Andrea Klapstova, Vera Jencova, Jana Mullerova, Eva Kuzelova Kostakova, Renata Prochazkova and Lucie Bacakova

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(2), 457; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11020457 - 11 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2866

Abstract

Chronic wounds affect millions of patients worldwide, and it is estimated that this number will increase steadily in the future due to population ageing. The research of new therapeutic approaches to wound healing includes the development of nanofibrous meshes and the use of platelet lysate (PL) to stimulate skin regeneration. This study considers a combination of a degradable electrospun nanofibrous blend of poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PLCL/PCL) membranes (NF) and fibrin loaded with various concentrations of PL aimed at the development of bioactive skin wound healing dressings. The cytocompatibility of the NF membranes, as well as the effect of PL, was evaluated in both monocultures and co-cultures of human keratinocytes and human endothelial cells. We determined that the keratinocytes were able to adhere on all the membranes, and their increased proliferation and differentiation was observed on the membranes that contained fibrin with at least 50% of PL (Fbg + PL) after 14 days. With respect to the co-culture experiments, the membranes with fibrin with 20% of PL were observed to enhance the metabolic activity of endothelial cells and their migration, and the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. The results suggest that the newly developed NF combined with fibrin and PL, described in the study, provides a promising dressing for chronic wound healing purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanofibers: Fabrication, Properties and Applications)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

27 pages, 4605 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrogel Containing Anti-CD44-Labeled Microparticles, Guide Bone Tissue Formation in Osteochondral Defects in Rabbits

by Eva Filová, Zbyněk Tonar, Věra Lukášová, Matěj Buzgo, Andrej Litvinec, Michala Rampichová, Jiří Beznoska, Martin Plencner, Andrea Staffa, Jana Daňková, Miroslav Soural, Jiří Chvojka, Anna Malečková, Milena Králíčková and Evžen Amler

Nanomaterials 2020, 10(8), 1504; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano10081504 - 31 Jul 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3519

Abstract

Hydrogels are suitable for osteochondral defect regeneration as they mimic the viscoelastic environment of cartilage. However, their biomechanical properties are not sufficient to withstand high mechanical forces. Therefore, we have prepared electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone-chitosan (PCL-chit) and poly(ethylene oxide)-chitosan (PEO-chit) nanofibers, and FTIR analysis confirmed successful blending of chitosan with other polymers. The biocompatibility of PCL-chit and PEO-chit scaffolds was tested; fibrochondrocytes and chondrocytes seeded on PCL-chit showed superior metabolic activity. The PCL-chit nanofibers were cryogenically grinded into microparticles (mean size of about 500 µm) and further modified by polyethylene glycol–biotin in order to bind the anti-CD44 antibody, a glycoprotein interacting with hyaluronic acid (PCL-chit-PEGb-antiCD44). The PCL-chit or PCL-chit-PEGb-antiCD44 microparticles were mixed with a composite gel (collagen/fibrin/platelet rich plasma) to improve its biomechanical properties. The storage modulus was higher in the composite gel with microparticles compared to fibrin. The E_loss of the composite gel and fibrin was higher than that of the composite gel with microparticles. The composite gel either with or without microparticles was further tested in vivo in a model of osteochondral defects in rabbits. PCL-chit-PEGb-antiCD44 significantly enhanced osteogenic regeneration, mainly by desmogenous ossification, but decreased chondrogenic differentiation in the defects. PCL-chit-PEGb showed a more homogeneous distribution of hyaline cartilage and enhanced hyaline cartilage differentiation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanofibers: Fabrication, Properties and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

28 pages, 6676 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advances in Electrospun Hybrid Nanofibers for Biomedical Applications

by Viraj P. Nirwan, Tomasz Kowalczyk, Julia Bar, Matej Buzgo, Eva Filová and Amir Fahmi

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1829; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12111829 - 27 May 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3322

Abstract

Electrospun hybrid nanofibers, based on functional agents immobilized in polymeric matrix, possess a unique combination of collective properties. These are beneficial for a wide range of applications, which include theranostics, filtration, catalysis, and tissue engineering, among others. The combination of functional agents in a nanofiber matrix offer accessibility to multifunctional nanocompartments with significantly improved mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties, along with better biocompatibility and biodegradability. This review summarizes recent work performed for the fabrication, characterization, and optimization of different hybrid nanofibers containing varieties of functional agents, such as laser ablated inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), which include, for instance, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiNPs), perovskites, drugs, growth factors, and smart, inorganic polymers. Biocompatible and biodegradable polymers such as chitosan, cellulose, and polycaprolactone are very promising macromolecules as a nanofiber matrix for immobilizing such functional agents. The assimilation of such polymeric matrices with functional agents that possess wide varieties of characteristics require a modified approach towards electrospinning techniques such as coelectrospinning and template spinning. Additional focus within this review is devoted to the state of the art for the implementations of these approaches as viable options for the achievement of multifunctional hybrid nanofibers. Finally, recent advances and challenges, in particular, mass fabrication and prospects of hybrid nanofibers for tissue engineering and biomedical applications have been summarized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Nanofibers: Fabrication, Properties and Applications)

► Show Figures