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Static secondary ion mass spectrometry for the surface characterisation of individual nanofibres of polycaprolactone functionalised with an antibacterial additive

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Abstract

Electrospinning (ES) of polymer solutions generates non-woven webs of nanofibres. The fibre diameter ranges between 10 nm and 1 μm depending on the operating conditions. Surface functionalisation can be performed by the use of suitable additives. Detailed characterisation of the molecular composition at the fibre surface is a key issue. Biodegradable nanowebs with potential antibacterial activity have been prepared by ES of solutions containing polycaprolactone (PCL) and a functionalising additive with PCL segments and hexyldimethylammonium groups (PCLhexaq). Static secondary ion mass spectrometry with Bi +3 projectiles has been applied to individual nanofibres. The positive ion mass spectra contain several signals with high structural specificity allowing the presence of PCLhexaq to be traced back in spite of its low concentration (0.16–1.4% w/w relative to PCL) and its structural similarity to the PCL fibre matrix. Imaging of structural ions visualises the homogeneous distribution of PCLhexaq over the fibre surface. Quantifying the surface concentration of PCLhexaq relative to that of PCL reveals electric field-driven surface enrichment of the additive during ES. Finally, nanofibres subjected to leaching in water for up to 72 h have been analysed. The PCLhexaq surface concentration decreases almost linearly with time at a rate of 0.6% h−1.

Electrospinning is used to produce aligned nanofibres of polycaprolactone with functionalizing additives. Advanced S-SIMS is used for identification, quantification and imaging of the distribution of the additive and for the determination of the leaching kinetics

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Solvay (Brussels, Belgium) for providing PCL. This research was funded by the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen) and the European Community project Flexifunbar (EU-IP-project 505864).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Campus CDE, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Pieter Van Royen, Bart Boschmans & Luc Van Vaeck

  2. Department of Organic Chemistry, Polymer Materials Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Ana dos Santos, Etienne Schacht & Peter Dubruel

  3. Department of Anatomy, Embryology, Histology and Medical Physics, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Ria Cornelissen

  4. Department of Chemistry, Artesis University College of Antwerp, Paardenmarkt 92, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium

    Linda Beenaerts

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  1. Pieter Van Royen
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Correspondence to Luc Van Vaeck.

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Van Royen, P., Boschmans, B., dos Santos, A. et al. Static secondary ion mass spectrometry for the surface characterisation of individual nanofibres of polycaprolactone functionalised with an antibacterial additive. Anal Bioanal Chem 399, 1163–1172 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-4433-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-4433-x

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