(555d) Nanocomposites For Tissue Engineering Applications Engineered Using A Novel Twin Screw Extrusion And Electrospinning Process (Seep- Screw Extrusion With Electrospinning)

The dispersion of nanoparticles into nanocomposite formulations requires relatively high shearing stresses to be applied to allow the deagglomeration of particle clusters and the encapsulation of the separated nanoparticles by the binder phase. For such dispersion the twin screw extrusion process provides multiple advantages over the conventional batch processing methods including a significantly higher surface to volume ratio for better process and product quality control and flexible and tunable geometries (combinations of reversing or forwarding fully-flighted or kneading disc type screw elements configured at differing pitches and stagger angles) to tailor the thermo-mechanical history that the biomedical nanocomposite formulation is to be exposed to during the incorporation of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, here the twin screw extrusion process is modified to incorporate an electrospinning attachment to allow the extrusion shaping of fibers and nanofibers for drug release and nonwoven meshes for tissue engineering scaffolds. Here multiple examples of tissue engineering scaffolds involving biodegradable polymers and various types of nanoparticles will be provided along with the results of cell adhesion and proliferation involving osteoblasts and fibroblasts.