Lab
Electrospun Fibers Group (AGH)
Institution: AGH University of Krakow
About the lab
The Electrospun Fibers Group (AGH University of Krakow), focuses on research in various areas such as energy and thermal properties, water harvesting, cell-material interactions, and the exploration of natural materials. Their work includes developing piezoelectric and triboelectric polymers for energy harvesting, using electrospun fibers for fog water collectors, enhancing tissue regeneration through scaffold design, and studying the structure of natural materials like penguin feathers and polar bear hair for material inspiration. This YouTube channel could feature their cutting-edge research, highlighting the diverse applications of electrospun fibers in sustainable energy, water resource management, regenerative medicine, and biomimicry.
For more details - https://fibers.agh.edu.pl
For more details - https://fibers.agh.edu.pl
Featured research (10)
Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds have become vital in biomedical applications due to their high surface area and tunable properties. Chitosan (CS) is widely used, but its rapid degradation limits its effectiveness. This study addresses this limitation by blending CS with polycaprolactone (PCL) and applying genipin cross‐linking to enhance its stability and mechanical properties. Scanning electron microscopy indicated a uniform morphology of the electrospun fibers, and further, the crystallinity of the scaffolds before and after cross‐linking is verified. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy is used to analyze the chemical structure, identifying the presence of trifluoroacetic acid residues in the as‐spun fibers. These residues are successfully eliminated through neutralization and cross‐linking, which are critical for enhancing stability and cell viability in in‐vitro studies. Mechanical testing revealed that cross‐linked CS+PCL scaffolds exhibit a 350% increase in tensile strength compared to pure CS, and zeta potential reaches the favorable for cell development ‐26.27 mV. The cytotoxicity assay results with murine NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells indicate the suitability of CS+PCL scaffolds for targeted tissue engineering and wound healing. This work establishes the potential for fine‐tuning scaffold properties to create stable, functional, and biocompatible substrates for extended biomedical use.
Addressing the demand for bone substitutes, tissue engineering responds to the high prevalence of orthopedic surgeries worldwide and the limitations of conventional tissue reconstruction techniques. Materials, cells, and growth factors constitute the core elements in bone tissue engineering, influencing cellular behavior crucial for regenerative treatments. Scaffold design, including architectural features and porosity, significantly impacts cellular penetration, proliferation, differentiation, and vascularization. This review discusses the hierarchical structure of bone and the process of neovascularization in the context of biofabrication of scaffolds. We focus on the role of electrospinning and its modifications in scaffold fabrication to improve scaffold properties to enhance further tissue regeneration, for example, by boosting oxygen and nutrient delivery. We highlight how scaffold design impacts osteogenesis and the overall success of regenerative treatments by mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM). Additionally, we explore the emerging field of bone organoids—self‐assembled, three‐dimensional (3D) structures derived from stem cells that replicate native bone tissue's architecture and functionality. While bone organoids hold immense potential for modeling bone diseases and facilitating regenerative treatments, their main limitation remains insufficient vascularization. Hence, we evaluate innovative strategies for pre‐vascularization and discuss the latest techniques for assessing and improving vascularization in both scaffolds and organoids presenting the most commonly used cell lines and biological models. Moreover, we analyze cutting‐edge techniques for assessing vascularization, evaluating their advantages and drawbacks to propose complex solutions. Finally, by integrating these approaches, we aim to advance the development of bioactive materials that promote successful bone regeneration.
Thermal energy storage is a promising, sustainable solution for challenging energy management issues. We deploy the fabrication of the reduced graphene oxide (rGO)–polycarbonate (PC) as shell and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as core to obtain hydrophobic phase change electrospun core–shell fiber system for low-temperature thermal management application. The encapsulation ratio of PEG is controlled by controlling the core flow rate, and ~ 93% heat energy storage efficacy is apparent for 1.5 mlh⁻¹ of core flow rate. Moreover, the prepared fiber possesses maximum latent melting and freezing enthalpy of 30.1 ± 3.7 and 25.6 ± 4.0 Jg⁻¹, respectively. The transient dynamic temperature vs. time curve of the rGO-loaded phase change fiber demonstrates the delay of fiber surface temperature change compared to pristine fiber. We indeed show that the tunable heat transfer and thermal energy storage efficacy of phase change fiber is achieved via controlled liquid PEG delivery and the addition of rGO in shell architecture. Notably, the effectiveness of unique phase change material (PCM)–based core–shell fibers is concluded from advanced scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) and self-thermoregulation tests.