Near-Field Electrospinning Patterning Polycaprolactone and Polycaprolactone/Collagen Interconnected Fiber Membrane

Solution-based near-field electrospinning is employed to construct polymeric network membranes, made of orderly arranged and interconnected fibers. The narrow tip-to-nozzle separation of the direct-writing process leads to solvent enriched fibers being deposited on the substrate, despite the use of a low boiling point solvent. This results in fibers with low cross-sectional aspect ratio (flattened appearance), but providing a unique opportunity to produce interconnected fiber junctions through in situ, localized solvent etching by subsequent fiber overlays. Orthogonal networks of polycaprolactone (PCL) fibres, or PCL/collagen composite fibres, are fabricated, and then characterized by microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. This study presents a direct approach to strengthen interfiber junctions, and further the feasibility to interweave and interconnect fibers of different properties, leading to networked membranes with potentially tailorable functions for tissue engineering applications and beyond.