INFLUENCE OF POLYMER TYPE AND BLENDING ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF COAXIAL ELECTROSPUN VASCULAR GRAFTS

The field of tissue engineering has witnessed significant progress in the development of vascular grafts for critical applications in cardiovascular surgery; however, the current vascular grafts still suffer from certain inadequacies such as thrombosis, intimal hyperplasia, and compliance mismatch. Among the various fabrication techniques, coaxial electrospinning has emerged as a promising method to produce vascular grafts due to its ability to tailor the architecture and composition of fibers for creating core-shell fibers, enabling the incorporation of both miscible and immiscible polymers and functional properties within the same fiber. The importance of material selection in coaxial electrospinning for vascular graft applications lies in determining the graft's mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and degradation characteristics, crucial factors that directly impact its long-term performance and success in cardiovascular tissue engineering. The mechanical properties of vascular grafts are important as they directly influence graft durability, stability, and biomechanical compatibility, critical factors for ensuring successful integration and long-term functionality within the cardiovascular system. This study focuses on the effect of polymer selection and blending for the core and shell parts of the fibers on the tensile strength, burst strength, and compliance of monolayer vascular grafts. The scaffolds have coaxial fibers with polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA), and their blends either in the core or shell part are fabricated. The results showed that the polymer selection and the fiber arrangement significantly affect the mechanical features. Using PLA shell and implementing PCLPLA blend in core result in enhanced strength values and elasticity of the material.