Electrospinning of Crystallizable Polypeptoid Fibers

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 100 - 104
• Main Authors: Thielke, Michael W., Secker, Christian, Schlaad, Helmut, Theato, Patrick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: biomaterials; Blends; Crystal structure; crystallization; Electrospinning; Ethyl alcohol; Fibers; Mats; Methyl alcohol; Oxides; polypeptoids; thermoresponsive; crystallization; thermoresponsive; polypeptoids; biomaterials; electrospinning
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201500502

A unique fabrication process of low molar mass, crystalline polypeptoid fibers is described. Thermoresponsive fiber mats are prepared by electrospinning a homogeneous blend of semicrystalline poly(N‐(n‐propyl) glycine) (PPGly; 4.1 kDa) with high molar mass poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Annealing of these fibers at ≈100 °C selectively removes the PEO and produces stable crystalline fiber mats of pure PPGly, which are insoluble in aqueous solution but can be redissolved in methanol or ethanol. The formation of water‐stable polypeptoid fiber mats is an important step toward their utilization in biomedical applications such as tissue engineering or wound dressing. Polypeptoid fiber mats are prepared by electrospinning from a blend of poly(ethylene oxide) and a thermoresponsive polypeptoid. Utilizing the thermoresponsive behavior the initially blended fiber mat forms a pure water‐insoluble and crystalline polypeptoid fiber mat. The process is fully reversible and the fibers can be dissolved in alcohol and reused for electrospinning.