'Greening' biomaterials and scaffolds used in regenerative medicine


Date:
July 30, 2021
Source:
Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science
Summary:
In the biomaterials industry, electrospinning is a ubiquitous
fabrication method used to produce nano- to microscale fibrous
meshes that closely resemble native tissue architecture. Alas,
the process has traditionally used solvents that not only
are environmentally hazardous but also a significant barrier
to industrial scale-up, clinical translation, and widespread
use. But now, researchers report that they have developed a
'green electrospinning' process that addresses those challenges,
from managing environmental risks of volatile solvent storage and
disposal at large volumes to meeting health and safety standards
during both fabrication and implementation.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Green manufacturing is becoming an increasingly critical process
across industries, propelled by a growing awareness of the negative environmental and health impacts associated with traditional practices. In
the biomaterials industry, electrospinning is a universal fabrication
method used around the world to produce nano- to microscale fibrous
meshes that closely resemble native tissue architecture. The process,
however, has traditionally used solvents that not only are environmentally hazardous but also pose a significant barrier to industrial scale-up,
clinical translation, and, ultimately, widespread use.


========================================================================== Researchers at Columbia Engineering report that they have developed a
"green electrospinning" process that addresses many of the challenges
to scaling up this fabrication method, from managing the environmental
risks of volatile solvent storage and disposal at large volumes
to meeting health and safety standards during both fabrication
and implementation. The team's new study, published June 28, 2021,
by Biofabrication, details how they have modernized the nanofiber
fabrication of widely utilized biological and synthetic polymers
(e.g. poly-a-hydroxyesters, collagen), polymer blends, and polymer-ceramic composites.

The study also underscores the superiority of green manufacturing. The
group's "green" fibers exhibited exceptional mechanical properties
and preserved growth factor bioactivity relative to traditional fiber counterparts, which is essential for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.

Regenerative medicine is a $156 billion global industry, one that is
growing exponentially. The team of researchers, led by Helen H. Lu,
Percy K. and Vida L.W. Hudson Professor of Biomedical Engineering, wanted
to address the challenge of establishing scalable green manufacturing
practices for biomimetic biomaterials and scaffolds used in regenerative medicine.

"We think this is a paradigm shift in biofabrication, and will
accelerate the translation of scalable biomaterials and biomimetic
scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine," said Lu,
a leader in research on tissue interfaces, particularly the design of biomaterials and therapeutic strategies for recreating the body's natural synchrony between tissues. "Green electrospinning not only preserves
the composition, chemistry, architecture, and biocompatibility of
traditionally electrospun fibers, but it also improves their mechanical properties by doubling the ductility of traditional fibers without
compromising yield or ultimate tensile strength. Our work provides both
a more biocompatible and sustainable solution for scalable nanomaterial fabrication." The team, which included several BME doctoral students
from Lu's group, Christopher Mosher PhD'20 and Philip Brudnicki, as well
as Theanne Schiros, an expert in eco-conscious textile synthesis who
is also a research scientist at Columbia MRSEC and assistant professor
at FIT, applied sustainability principles to biomaterial production,
and developed a green electrospinning process by systematically testing
what the FDA considers as biologically benign solvents (Q3C Class 3).

They identified acetic acid as a green solvent that exhibits low
ecological impact (Sustainable Minds(R) Life Cycle Assessment)
and supports a stable electrospinning jet under routine fabrication
conditions. By tuning electrospinning parameters, such as needle-plate
distance and flow rate, the researchers were able to ameliorate the
fabrication of research and industry- standard biomedical polymers,
cutting the detrimental manufacturing impacts of the electrospinning
process by three to six times.

Green electrospun materials can be used in a broad range of
applications. Lu's team is currently working on further innovating these materials for orthopaedic and dental applications, and expanding this eco-conscious fabrication process for scalable production of regenerative materials.

"Biofabrication has been referred to as the 'fourth industrial
revolution' following steam engines, electrical power, and the digital
age for automating mass production," noted Mosher, the study's first
author. "This work is an important step towards developing sustainable practices in the next generation of biomaterials manufacturing,
which has become paramount amidst the global climate crisis." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Columbia_University_School_of_Engineering_and_Applied Science. Original
written by Holly Evarts. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Christopher Z Mosher, Philip A P Brudnicki, Zhengxiang Gong,
Hannah R
Childs, Sang Won Lee, Romare M Antrobus, Elisa C Fang, Theanne
N Schiros, Helen H Lu. Green electrospinning for biomaterials
and biofabrication.

Biofabrication, 2021; 13 (3): 035049 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac0964 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210730165442.htm

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