Well‐dispersed copper nanorods grown on the surface‐functionalized PAN fibers and its antibacterial activity

β‐Cyclodextrins/polyacrylonitrile/copper nanorods (β‐CDs/PAN/CuNRs) composite fibers were fabricated by two steps including the preparation for the β‐CDs/PAN composite fibers by electrospining, and the preparation of the β‐CDs/PAN/CuNRs composite fibers by adsorption and reduction. The β‐CDs/PAN/CuNRs composite fibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy respectively. The results indicated that the CuNRs were not only successfully synthesized on the surface of composite fibers but also the CuNRs were distributed without aggregation on the composite fibers. Furthermore, microorganism Escherichia coli had been used to check the antibacterial efficacy of the β‐CDs/PAN/CuNRs composite fibers. Subsequently, antibacterial tests have indicated that the composite fibers have good bactericidal effects. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41011.     

Gold‐nanoparticle‐decorated thermoplastic polyurethane electrospun fibers prepared through a chitosan linkage for catalytic applications

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)‐electrospun‐fiber‐mat‐supported gold catalysts were prepared by the adsorption of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto a TPU electrospun fiber mat after functionalization with chitosan (CS) by a dip‐coating method. The mechanism for the adsorption of AuNPs was electrostatic interaction between the positive charge of CS (? N ) and the negative charge of the AuNP surface (? COO^?) and coordination between the amine groups of CS and gold. The mat was crosslinked with glutaraldehyde vapor to strengthen the adhesion between the CS coating and TPU fibers after the adsorption of AuNPs. The catalytic activity of the supported gold catalyst was evaluated with the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol by NaBH₄ to demonstrate the excellent catalytic performance and its reusability for at least 10 cycles without a loss in activity. The rate constant increased with both an increase in the amount of supported catalyst and an increase in the ratio of the mat surface area to AuNP within the investigated scope. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133 , 44336.     

Chitin nanocrystal reinforced wet‐spun chitosan fibers

Chitosan (CS) has been extensively studied and found wide applications in the field of biomedicine because of its favorable biological properties. Normal CS fibers are manufactured either by wet‐spinning or by dry‐jet wet‐spinning. However, the poor tensile strength of CS fibers raises much concern. The present study uses chitin nanocrystal (ChiNC), a stiff rod‐like nanofiller, to enhance the mechanical properties of wet‐spun CS fibers. Owing to the good compatibility between CS and ChiNC, the nanoparticles are well distributed in the CS matrix. When the ChiNCs loading is 5 wt %, the optimal mechanical properties of CS fibers are obtained, and the peak stress is 2.2 cN/dtex and modulus is 145.6 cN/dtex, which are increased by 57% and 84.5%, respectively, compared to that of nonfilled CS fibers under the same processing condition. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40852.     

Silver‐nanoparticle‐Incorporated composite nanofibers for potential wound‐dressing applications

The aim of this study was to develop stable and porous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)–polycaprolactone blended and silver nanoparticle (Ag NP) incorporated composite nanofiber scaffolds as antibacterial wound dressings. A facile approach for the in situ synthesis of Ag NPs was explored. In this synthesis method, N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) was used as a solvent; it also acted as reducing agent for Ag NP formation. The stabilization of Ag NPs in the fibers was accomplished by PEO, which in turn acted as a reducing agent along with DMF. The successful synthesis of crystalline Ag NPs was confirmed by various characterization techniques. Thermogravimetric analysis, wettability, and surface roughness analysis of the nanofibers were done to examine the suitability of the scaffold for wound dressing. The as‐synthesized composite nanofibers possessed good roughness, wettability, and antibacterial potential against recombinant green fluorescent proteins expressing antibiotic‐resistant Escherichia coli. Thus, the nanofiber scaffold fabricated by this approach could serve as an ideal wound dressing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42473.     

Preparation and characterization of mPEG‐g‐α‐zein biohybrid micelles as a nano‐carrier

A new kind of block copolymer micelles methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) grafted α‐zein protein (mPEG‐g‐α‐zein) was synthesized. The chemical composition of mPEG‐g‐α‐zein was identified with the help of FT‐IR and ¹H‐NMR. The biohybrid polymer can self‐assemble into spherical core–shell nanoparticles in aqueous solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate the self‐assembled morphology of mPEG‐g‐α‐zein. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) results showed that the particle size of mPEG‐g‐α‐zein was about 90 nm. Moreover, the nanoparticles had a very low critical micelle concentration value with only 0.02 mg/mL. Then, the anticancer drug curcumin (CUR) was encapsulated into the biohybrid polymer micelles. The in vitro drug release profile showed a zero‐order release of CUR up to 12 h at 37°C. Cell viability studies revealed that the mPEG‐g‐α‐zein polymer exhibited low cytotoxicity for HepG2 cells (human hepatoma cells). Consequently, the mPEG‐g‐α‐zein micelles can be used as a potential nano‐carrier to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs and nutrients. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42555.     

Electrospun nylon 6 nanofibers incorporated with 2‐substituted N‐alkylimidazoles and their silver(I) complexes for antibacterial applications

The article presents the incorporation of biocides [2‐substituted N‐alkylimidazoles and their silver(I) complexes] into electrospun nylon 6 nanofibers for application as antimicrobial materials. The electrospun nylon 6/biocides nanofiber composites were characterized by IR spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM‐EDX). The antimicrobial activity of the electrospun nylon 6/biocides nanofiber composites was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii using the disk diffusion method, the American Association for Textile Chemists and Colorists test method 100‐2004 and the dynamic shake flask method (American Society for Testing and Materials E2149‐10). The electrospun nylon 6 nanofibers incorporated with 2‐substituted N‐alkylimidazoles displayed moderate to excellent levels of growth reduction against S. aureus (73.2–99.8%). For the electrospun nylon 6 nanofibers incorporated with silver(I) complexes, the levels of growth reduction were >99.99%, for both E. coli and S. aureus, after the antimicrobial activity evaluation using the shake flask method. The study demonstrated that the electrospun nanofibers, fabricated using the incorporation strategy, have the potential to be used as attractive antimicrobial materials. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39783.     

Microfibers nanocomposite based on polyacrylonitrile fibers/bismuth oxide nanoparticles as X-ray shielding material

The main focus of the current study was to fabricate fibrous nanocomposite based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers containing Bi₂O₃ NPs as the X-ray shielding material. Bi₂O₃ NPs were synthesized based on the solid dispersion evaporation method and dispersed into PAN polymer solution with different weight concentrations. The electrospinning technique was used to fabricate nanocomposite. The morphology, surface functional group, wettability, elemental analysis, and X-ray shielding efficacy of the fabricated nanocomposite were thoroughly evaluated. The dimeter of the fibrous nanocomposites containing 10, 20, and 30 wt% Bi₂O₃ NPs were 1.33 ± 0.08, 1.01 ± 0.11, and 1.69 ± 0.32 μm, respectively. EDX elemental analysis showed that NPs were uniformly distributed into/onto the fibers. The X-ray shielding studies showed that the prepared nanocomposites effectively attenuate the intensity of the X-ray. The entrance surface dose for the negative control was 24.10 ± 1.71 mSv and the application of the nanocomposites significantly reduced the entrance surface dose. The results showed NPs concentration-dependent CT number shift as the indication of X-ray protection and the highest value was obtained by 30 wt% NPs. The obtained results implied that the fabricated nanocomposites effectively attenuate the radiation and they could be applied as the X-ray shielding materials.     

Highly antibacterial and toughened polystyrene composites with silver nanoparticles modified tetrapod‐like zinc oxide whiskers

In this work, high‐performance multifunctional composites were obtained by melt blending silver deposited tetrapod‐like zinc oxide whiskers (Ag‐ZnOw) with polystyrene (PS). The chemical, spectroscopic, antibacterial, mechanical, and morphological properties of the PS/Ag‐ZnOw composites were carefully investigated and discussed. The obtained PS/Ag‐ZnOw composites characterized remarkable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Moreover, it is found that impact strength of the composite increase with increasing nanofiller concentration (up to 0.25 wt %). Morphological characterization of the impact fractured surface of composites revealed that toughening was achieved through uniform filler distribution in the polymer matrix, and anchoring effect was imparted by the tetrapod‐like shape of ZnO whiskers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40900.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(ethylene glycol) stabilized nano silver particles by a mechanochemical assisted ball mill process

Nano silver particles with an average mean crystallite size of between 10 and 12 nm were synthesized from different molecular weights of poly(ethylene glycol) as a stabilizing agents, through solid state oxidation of silver nitrate using a higher energy planetary ball mill. Ultraviolet‐Visible spectra were used to confirm the synthesis of nano silver particles. The surface plasmon resonance bands were observed around 410 nm. Fourier transformed infrared spectrum, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electronic microscopy techniques were used to characterize the nano silver particles synthesized. Thermal stability was determined using thermogravimetic analysis and the elemental composition of the sample was determined by energy dispersive X‐ray analysis. The nano silver particles synthesized, exhibited very good antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive bacteria (Bacillus) and Gram‐negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Based on the obtained results, it was additionally explored that the size and the stabilization of the nano silver particles synthesized, strongly depend on the molecular weight of poly(ethylene glycol). © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43027.     

Chitosan‐modified d‐α‐tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol) 1000 succinate‐b‐poly(ε‐caprolactone‐ran‐glycolide) nanoparticles for the oral chemotherapy of bladder cancer

Oral chemotherapy is quickly emerging as an appealing option for cancer patients. It is less stressful because the patient has fewer hospital visits and can still maintain a close relationship with health care professionals. Three kinds of nanoparticles made from commercial poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) and self‐synthesized d‐α‐tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol) 1000 succinate ‐b‐poly(ε‐caprolactone‐ran‐glycolide) [TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA)] diblock copolymer were prepared in this study for the oral delivery of antitumor agents, including chitosan‐modified PCL nanoparticles, nonmodified TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles, and chitosan‐modified TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles. First, the TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) diblock copolymer was synthesized and structurally characterized. Chitosan was adopted to extend the retention time at the cell surface and thus increase the chance of nanoparticle uptake by the gastrointestinal mucosa and improve the absorption of drugs after oral administration. The resulting TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles were found to be of spherical shape and around 200 nm in diameter with a narrow size distribution. The surface charge of the TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles could be reversed from anionic to cationic after surface modification. The chitosan‐modified TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles displayed a significantly higher level of cellular uptake compared with the chitosan‐modified PCL nanoparticles and nonmodified TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles. In vitro cell viability studies showed the advantages of the chitosan‐modified TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles over Taxol in terms of their cytotoxicity against human RT112 cells. In summary, the oral delivery of antitumor agents by chitosan‐modified TPGS‐b‐(PCL‐ran‐PGA) nanoparticles produced results that were promising for the treatment of patients with bladder cancer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2118–2126, 2013     

Fabrication and optimization of EGCG‐loaded nanoparticles by high pressure homogenization

In this study, we investigated the effects of the number of high pressure homogenization cycles and alginate (AG)‐to‐chitosan (CS) ratio on the physicochemical properties (mean size, polydispersity index, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency, and free radical scavenging) of (‐)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG)‐loaded nanoparticles. Nanoparticles prepared with alginate and chitosan concentrations of 0.01% and three cycles of high pressure homogenization exhibited a small size (293 nm) and a zeta potential of +37.49 mV, and were thus considered to be optimal for encapsulation. The highest encapsulation efficiency of 80.1% was achieved by using an EGCG concentration of 100 µg/g, which also resulted in the highest 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities of 81.8% and 69.3% for pH 2.6 and pH 6.9, respectively. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43269.     

Fabrication of polymer/drug‐loaded hydroxyapatite particle composite fibers for drug sustained release

The aim of this study is to fabricate polymer/hydroxyapatite (HA) particle composite fibers for drug encapsulation and sustained release. Firstly, drug‐loaded hydroxyapatite particles are synthesized in one step, then by electrospinning of the blends of drug‐loaded hydroxyapatite particles and polymer solution the drug‐loaded polymer/hydroxyapatite particle composite fibers are successfully prepared. Effect of loading ratio of drug‐loaded hydroxyapatite particles in the fibers and pH value of the release medium on the drug release kinetics are both investigated, and the results demonstrate that, as compared with the polymer/drug electrospun fibers, the drug in the polymer/drug‐loaded hydroxyapatite particle composite fibers shows a sustained release manner, and the drug release rate can be regulated by both the loading ratio of drug‐loaded hydroxyapatite particles in the composite fibers and pH value of the buffer solution. The results indicate that the developed drug‐loaded polymer/hydroxyapatite particle composite fibers show great potential in bone regeneration and other related biomedical fields. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42871.     

Photocatalytic properties of PMMA‐TiO2 class I and class II hybrid nanofibers obtained by electrospinning

The preparation, characterization, and photocatalytic activity evaluation of three hybrid fibrous materials composed mainly by poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), methyl methacrylate (MMA): 3‐(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TMSPM): titanium butoxide (TBT), TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPTiO₂), and TiO₂ nanowires (NWTiO₂) is studied. Two types of fibe?s structures were prepared, single and core‐shell structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed both structures, single and core‐shell, as well as the inorganic phase were dispersed in the hybrid fibers. Infrared spectroscopic analysis (FT‐IR) and thermal analysis showed the organic and inorganic components, as well as the weight percentage of the inorganic phase present in hybrid fibers. The photocatalytic activity of the hybrid fibers class I and II showed that the best photodegradative efficiency for methylene blue in aqueous solution (2.9 × 10^?5 M) was 95%, provided by PMMA—10 wt % NPTiO₂. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44334.     

Development of a disposable electrode modified with carbonized,graphene‐loaded nanofiber for the detection of dopamine in human serum

A one‐step electrode surface modification is proposed in which a disposable, screen‐printed carbon electrode is functionalized with carbonized, electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN)‐loaded graphene (G) nanoparticles to form a composite, CPAN5G‐4x. The electrochemical behavior of the CPAN5G‐4x electrode was examined by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction were used to characterize the surface morphology and physical properties of the carbonized composite nanofibers before and after modification. The modified electrode was found to be effective for the detection of dopamine (DA) using square‐wave voltammetry (SWV) in the presence of interfering substances such as ascorbic acid and uric acid. With the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to an optimized solution of phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) at a pH of 2, the fabricated electrode exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of DA relative to PBS without SDS at a pH of 7.4. The SWV current displayed a linear response to DA concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 100 μM, with a limit of detection of 70 nM (S/N = 3) and a sensitivity of 1.4258 μA μM^?1 cm^?2. Finally, the CPAN5G‐4x electrode was used to determine DA levels in human serum. The modified electrode can potentially be harnessed for further electrochemical biosensor applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40858.     

Hydrophilic goethite nanoparticle as a novel antifouling agent in fabrication of nanocomposite polyethersulfone membrane

The goethite nanoparticle was used as a multifunctional additive to fabricate antifouling polyethersulfone (PES) nanofiltration membranes. The goethite/PES membranes were synthesized via the phase inversion method. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs showed an increase in pore size and porosity of the prepared membranes with blending of the goethite. The static water contact angle measurements confirmed a hydrophilic modification of the prepared membranes. With increase in the goethite content from 0 to 0.1 wt %, the pure water flux increased up to 12.7 kg/m² h. However, the water permeability decreased using high amount of this nanoparticle. Evaluation of the nanofiltration performance was performed using the retention of Direct Red 16. It was observed that the goethite/PES membranes have higher dye removal capacity (99% rejection) than those obtained from the unfilled PES (89%) and the commercial CSM NE 4040 NF membrane (92%). In addition, the goethite/PES blend membranes showed good selectivity and antifouling properties during long‐term nanofiltration experiments with a protein solution. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43592.     

Integrated PLGA–Ag nanocomposite systems to control the degradation rate and antibacterial properties

Biodegradable polymer based nanocomposite materials have attracted much attention since they can be used for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. In order to have highly integrated PLGA nanocomposite materials, silver colloidal nanoparticles were prepared in chloroform starting from silver nitrate and using polyvinylpyrrolidone as reduction and capping agent. TEM and AFM imaging give information on the size distribution of the silver nucleus (7.0 nm) and the capping shell (8.2–10.7 nm). PLGA–Ag nanocomposites were prepared upon addition of 1 or 3% wt of silver nanoparticles to the PLGA/chloroform suspension. The effect of silver loading on polymer degradation was studied following the mass loss and the morphology of nanocomposite films at different degradation stages. The concentrations of Ag⁺, which is released during nanocomposite degradation, were monitored and analyzed through the diffusion model, to have insight on the degradation kinetics. The release rate, and likely the degradation rate, was reduced at higher silver loading. Bacterial growth tests indicated that the cell growth is inhibited in the presence of PLGA–Ag nanocomposites and the efficiency is correlated to Ag⁺ release. Thus, controlling the nanoparticle loading, a tunable degradation and antibacterial action can be designed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 1185‐1193, 2013     

Antimicrobial cytocompatible pentaerythritol triacrylate‐co‐trimethylolpropane composite scaffolds for orthopaedic implants

As of 2010, 5.3 million orthopedic surgeries are performed each year, and this number is expected to increase to 6.2 million by 2020. On average, 27.7% of all orthopedic surgeries result in infection which often leads to osteomyelitis and the loss of supporting bone. In this study, we describe two synthetic bone grafts, or augmentation methods, for a biodegradable, silver nanoparticle (SNPs) containing antimicrobial scaffolds composed of pentaerythritol triacrylate‐co‐trimethylolpropane tris (3‐mercaptopropionate) (PETA) and hydroxyapatite (HA). This osteoinductive and degradable material is designed to stimulate proliferation of bone progenitor cells, and provide controlled release of antimicrobial components. The first method, denoted as the “incorporating method,” involves dissolving SNPs in ethanol, butanol, or isopropanol and directly incorporating the particles into the scaffold prior to polymerization. The second method, “coating method,” involves submerging fabricated scaffolds into their respective SNPs‐solution and mixing for 24 h. The coating method allowed better distribution and release of SNPs from the surface of the composites when exposed to extracellular media. The in vitro release of silver for both methods was quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES). The scaffolds made by means of the coating method showed increased release of silver with respect to time; no silver leached from the scaffolds formed by the incorporating method. Use of Alamar Blue assay demonstrated that the SNPs incorporation did not affect cell viability when tested with hASCs. The scaffolds formed by the coating method inhibited the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus 99.5% and Escherichia coli by 99.9% within 24 h. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41099.     

PEGylation of MnO nanoparticles via catechol–Mn chelation to improving T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging application

To enhance biocompatibility and physiological stability of hydrophobic MnO nanoparticles as contrast agent of T₁‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dopamine‐functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was used to coat the surface of about 5 nm MnO nanoparticles. Although hydrophilic coating might decrease longitudinal relaxivity due to inhibiting the intimate contact between manganese of nanoparticle surface and proton in water molecules, higher longitudinal relaxivity was still maintained by manipulating the PEGylation degree of MnO nanoparticles. Moreover, in vivo MRI demonstrated considerable signal enhancement in liver and kidney using PEGylated MnO nanoparticles. Interestedly, the PEGylation induced the formation of about 120 nm clusters with high stability in storing and physiological conditions, indicating passive targeting potential to tumor and prolonged circulation in blood. In addition, the cytotoxicity of PEGylated MnO nanoparticles also proved negligible. Consequently, the convenient PEGylation strategy toward MnO nanoparticles could not only realize a good “trade‐off” between hydrophilic modification and high longitudinal relaxivity but also contribute additional advantages, such as passive targeting to tumor and long blood circulation, to MRI diagnosis of tumor. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42360.     

Fabrication and characterization of double‐network agarose/polyacrylamide nanofibers by electrospinning

This study focused on the preparation of electrospun cross‐linked double‐network (DN) of agarose/polyacrylamide (PAAm) nanofibers. The agarose formed the first‐network that was physical‐linked by the agar helix bundles. After UV‐irradiation, the chemically crosslinked PAAm was formed as the second network. The resulting cross‐linked DN agarose/PAAm nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle, attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FT‐IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile test. SEM analysis shows the agarose/PAAM nanofibers present with the thickness of 187 nm. Agarose/PAAm nanofibers were showing FT‐IR spectral peaks at ～1660, 1590, and 1070 cm^?1 indicating the presence of both agarose and polyacrylamide in the crosslinked DN Agarose/PAAm nanofiber sheet, it suggests the strong interaction and good compatibility between the two components. Agarose/PAAm nanofiber sheet was showing thermal stability close to the pure polyacrylamide. From the tensile test study, agarose/PAAm strength improved by 66.66% compared to the pure agarose. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42914.     

Nanoporous hollow fibers as a phantom material for the validation of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging noninvasive imaging modality. In this study, highly aligned, uniform, nanoporous, hollow polycaprolactone fibers were successfully synthesized in a single step to mimic the axon bundle structure in human white matter. Their porous nature, morphology, and physicochemical properties were carefully studied with respect to their suitability as a phantom material for brain imaging. The aligned fibrous bundles were then arranged into specific angles (30 and 90°), scanned, and evaluated with high-resolution MRI fiber tractography. Diffusion tensor imaging and the tractography of fibers of five different structures at three temperatures were acquired and compared. Furthermore, an integrated brain phantom created from a combination of agar gel and aligned fibrous bundles was also fabricated and analyzed. The results demonstrate the excellent ability of the fibers to mimic the axonal bundles of brain white matter. The fibrous bundles were well mixed in the common agar phantom while retaining their fibrous configuration; this demonstrated their potential as brain white matter phantoms. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47617.