Evaluation of an air spinning process to produce tailored biosynthetic nanofibre scaffolds

We optimised the working parameters of an innovative air spinning device to produce nanofibrous polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Scanning electron microscopy was performed on the fibre scaffolds which were then used to identify various scaffold morphologies based on the ratio of surface occupied by the polymer fibres on that covered by the entire polymer scaffold assembly. Scaffolds were then produced with the spinning experimental parameters, resulting in 90% of fibres in the overall polymer construct, and were subsequently used to perform a multiple linear regression analysis to highlight the relationship between nanofibre diameter and the air spinning parameters. Polymer solution concentration was deemed as the most significant parameter to control fibre diameter during the spinning process, despite interactions between experimental parameters. Based on these findings, viscosity measurements were performed to clarify the effect of the polymer solution property on scaffold morphology. [Display omitted] •An air spinning device for nanofibre scaffold production was optimised.•Relationships between fibre diameter and spinning parameters were established.•Polymer solution concentration was the most significant parameter.•Interactions between experimental parameters also influence the spinning process.•Nanofibres were formed due to polymer chain entanglements.