(162ae) Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Electrospuned Polycaprolactone Nanofibers for Regeneration of ACL

Ultra thin scaffolds with desirable morphology and mechanical properties for tissue engineering and biomedical applications remain challenging. Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a semi- crystalline linear aliphatic polyester that is both biocompatible and biodegradable. The objective is to produce nano fibers of varying concentrations of PCL solutions ranging from 5-20 wt% through electrospinning method. Polycaprolactone (PCL) solution is prepared by dissolving PCL in acetone and sonicate the solution for 30 min to prepare a transparent and homogeneous solution. The nano fibers are produced by loading 2 ml solutions into a 10 ml syringe equipped with a 21 gauge stainless steel needle. A high voltage supply was attached to the charging needle, and the aluminum conductive tape coated collecting drum is grounded. A voltage of 10 KV is applied to the needle to yield nano fibers. The solutions are extruded from a blunt-tip needle at a distance 10 cm above the rotating drum. The fiber-like morphology of the nano fibers is observed using SEM and AFM. The chemical analysis and mechanical testing of the nanofibers are obtained by using FTIR and tensile testing equipment, respectively. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry result shows the melting temperature of the PCL nano fibers is about 60^oC. The path forward for this study is to use the PCL scaffold for regeneration of ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament.