Photo-Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition of Polymer Thin Films onto Electrospun Nanofibers for Controlled Drug Release

Drug release kinetics highly depend on the surface chemistry of the scaffolds. Surface modifications can be performed by different techniques to alter the surface properties of the scaffolds and thus to provide controlled drug release. However, the conventional modification techniques have several disadvantages such as non-uniformity on the surface, lack of precise process control, weak stability, and possibility of the fiber destruction [1]. In this study, we propose a novel technique to coat the surface of the drug-loaded electrospun nanofiber scaffolds for controlled drug release applications without causing any damage to the fibers and the drug which is being encapsulated. The surface modification will be carried out by photo-initiated chemical vapor deposition (piCVD) technique, which will allow the material to maintain its own properties and also to provide controlled drug release. First, the drug-loaded scaffolds will be produced using biocompatible and biodegradable polymers by electrospinning process. Then, the surface of the fabricated scaffolds will be coated with polymer thin films by the piCVD technique. The piCVD technique will involve photopolymerization of one or more vapor-phase monomers using an initiator and their deposition on the scaffold surface to produce the desired thin films. The photopolymerization will be carried out by short-wavelength emission of UV-light at 254 nm under mild deposition conditions. A kinetic study will be conducted to determine the optimal deposition conditions. The drug release performances of the uncoated and polymer-coated nanofiber scaffolds will be examined comparatively. While the changes in fiber structure after the coating will be examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the chemical characterization of the scaffolds will be performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The proposed surface modification approach seems to be a promising avenue of research for controlled drug release applications.<br/><b>References</b><br/>[1] Biazar, Esmaeil, Mahshad Kamalvand, and Farzaneh Avani. "Recent advances in surface modification of biopolymeric nanofibrous scaffolds." International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials 71.7 (2022): 493-512.