Core-Shell Nanofibers Based on Polycaprolactone/Polyvinyl Alcohol and Polycaprolactone/Collagen for Biomedical Applications

Coaxial electrospinning is a robust technique to prepare core-shell nanofibers for various biomedical applications such as tissue engineering. In this study, the coaxial electrospinning method was used to prepare two different core-shell nanofibers based on polycaprolactone/polyvinyl alcohol (PCL/PVA) and polycaprolactone/collagen (PCL/Col). The mechanical (e.g., shear viscosity and surface tension) and chemical properties of the nanofibers were characterized and compared. The results showed that PCL/Col nanofibers have higher stability and better coverage of the core compared to PCL/PVA nanofibers due to the high viscosity and low spinnability of the core polymer, collagen. The optimum voltage and feeding rate for the fabrication of nanofibers were found to be 16 kV and 1:3 (core:shell), respectively. Due to their secondary structure and their promising properties, PCL/Col nanofibers exhibited great potential for biomedical applications such as wound healing and drug delivery platforms.