Diabetes is a chronic, systemic metabolic disease that leads to multiple complications, even death. Meanwhile, the number of people with diabetes worldwide is increasing year by year. Sensors play an important role in the development of biomedical devices. The development of efficient, stable, and inexpensive glucose sensors for the continuous monitoring of blood glucose levels has received widespread attention because they can provide reliable data for diabetes prevention and diagnosis. Electrospun nanofibers are new kinds of functional nanocomposites that show incredible capabilities for high-level biosensing. This article reviews glucose sensors based on electrospun nanofibers. The principles of the glucose sensor, the types of glucose measurement, and the glucose detection methods are briefly discussed. The principle of electrospinning and its applications and advantages in glucose sensors are then introduced. This article provides a comprehensive summary of the applications and advantages of polymers and nanomaterials in electrospun nanofiber-based glucose sensors. The relevant applications and comparisons of enzymatic and non-enzymatic nanofiber-based glucose sensors are discussed in detail. The main advantages and disadvantages of glucose sensors based on electrospun nanofibers are evaluated, and some solutions are proposed. Finally, potential commercial development and improved methods for glucose sensors based on electrospinning nanofibers are discussed.
17 October 2023 in Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials
Bacterial prostatitis is a challenging condition to treat with traditional dosage forms. Physicians often prescribe a variety of dosage forms with different administration methods, which fail to provide an efficient and convenient mode of drug delivery. The aim of this work was to develop a new type of hybrid material incorporating both electrosprayed core-shell microparticles and electrospun nanofibers. A traditional Chinese medicine (Ningmitai, NMT) and a Western medicine (ciprofloxacin, CIP) were co-encapsulated within this material and were designed to be released in a separately controlled manner. Utilizing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a hydrophilic filament-forming polymer and pH-sensitive Eudragit® S100 (ES100) as the particulate polymeric matrix, a combined electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) method comprising coaxial electrospraying and blending electrospinning, was used to create the hybrids in a single-step and straightforward manner. A series of characterization methods were conducted to analyze both the working process and its final products. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the EHDA hybrids comprised of both CIP-PVP nanofibers and NMT-ES100 core-shell microparticles. Multiple methods confirmed the rapid release of CIP and the sustained release of NMT. The antibacterial experiments indicated that the hybrids exhibited a more potent antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli dh5α and Bacillus subtilis Wb800 than either the separate nanofibers or microparticles. The amalgamation of fibrous nanomedicine and particulate micromedicine can expand the horizon of new types of medicines. The integration of electrospinning and coaxial electrospraying provides a straightforward approach to fabrication. By combining hydrophilic soluble polymers and pH-sensitive polymers in the hybrids, we can ensure the separate sequential controlled release of CIP and NMT for a potential synergistic and convenient therapy for bacterial prostatitis.
20 March 2025 in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
Electrospinning is a type of electrohydrodynamics that utilizes high-voltage electrostatic force to stretch a polymer solution into nanofibers under the influence of an electric field, with most of the fibers falling onto a collector. This technology is favored by researchers across various fields due to its simple and inexpensive device for producing nanofibers in a straightforward manner. Nanofibers prepared through electrospinning have a high specific surface area and high porosity. Electrospinning technology shows extensive potential, especially within biomedical sensors. This article provides a systematic overview of the factors influencing electrospinning, the parameters of the electrospinning process, the types of electrospun nanofibers, and the applications of electrospinning technology in the field of sensors, including wearable sensors, pressure sensors, and glucose sensors. The paper summarizes the research progress in this field and points out the direction of development for electrospinning technology, as well as the future challenges.
10 September 2022 in Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials